In September, the Backstreet Boys played their first, sold-out shows in Kazakhstan. Shortly before that, Jennifer Lopez made her second visit to the country, and her first to Uzbekistan.
In July, Justin Timberlake played in front of 55,000 people in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
According to Bloomberg, over 20 of the world's biggest artists – from Guns 'n' Roses to Bruno Mars – have played in Central Asia and the Caucasus since Russia launched its full-scale offensive war against Ukraine in 2022.
One reason Western stars are able to tour the countries is that their governments have avoided expressing support for Russia's invasion, and in some cases have even condemned it.
For the artists, gigs in Tbilisi, Yerevan and Almaty are a way to reach the lucrative Russian market, according to Bloomberg. In turn, cut-off Russian fans get the opportunity to stay in touch with Western culture.
"Nothing like this happens at home anymore," Elena, a 43-year-old Moscow resident who is visiting Tbilisi to see Deep Purple, told Bloomberg.
Interest in concerts abroad has exploded in Russia in 2025, according to the pro-regime news agency Interfax . Domestic ticketing platform Yandex reports a 70-fold increase this year alone, with Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan cited as the most popular destinations.
For Russia's neighboring countries, the burgeoning interest means a welcome economic boost.
