Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, performed in Istanbul in front of a crowd of more than 100,000 people.
On Saturday night (May 30), Ye performed at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in what CNN described as his first appearance in Europe since 2014 and his first show in Turkey.
State-run Anadolu Agency reported attendance of 118,000 people, with fans reportedly traveling from countries including Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Poland, and the Middle East to attend the two-hour concert.
A fan proposal took place during Ye's performance of "Runaway"
During the opening chords of Ye’s 2010 hit “Runaway,” a fan popped the question to his girlfriend. The moment was shared online where it widely circulated on social media. Needless to say, she said yes.
Plaqueboymax asks Ye about the Earth-inspired stage design
During a livestream backstage at the Istanbul concert, Plaqueboymax asked Ye about the large Earth-inspired stage design that has become a central visual element of his recent shows.
Ye answered, “Coming back, standing on top of the world after everything we've been through, just to come back on top of the world.”
Why have Ye's European shows been canceled or restricted?
The Istanbul performance followed a series of cancellations and restrictions across Europe tied to Ye's past antisemitic remarks, including statements praising Adolf Hitler and the release of content featuring Nazi imagery.
In April, Britain denied him entry on public interest grounds, which led to the cancellation of London’s Wireless Festival, where he was set to headline. Later that month, a planned show in Marseille, France was postponed after reported government efforts to block it. A concert in Poland was also cancelled.
According to local officials, concerts featuring Ye and Travis Scott that were scheduled to take place in Reggio Emilia, Italy in July 2026 have also been canceled following concerns raised by authorities and members of the area's Jewish community.
Ye is scheduled to perform in the Netherlands on June 6 and June 8 at the GelreDome in Arnhem, after Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Bart van den Brink ruled that no legal basis exists to keep him out of the country.
In January, Ye placed a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal in which he renounced his past admiration for Hitler and apologized for his earlier behavior. He attributed his actions to an undiagnosed brain injury and untreated bipolar disorder.
