Kanye West reportedly drew a crowd of 118,000 to Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on Saturday (May 30), with the rapper claiming that it was the largest stadium performance in history.

“I just want to tell y’all, we just broke the record, 118,000, largest stadium performance of all time,” West told the audience, according to Türkiye Today.

The show — which began at 9 p.m. local time and evolved into an all-night festival-style event featuring DJ sets, laser and light shows, pre- and after-party gatherings and performances by Turkish artists including Yener Cevik, Mavi, Sena Sener, Pera and Motive — drew fans from across Turkey and abroad, with attendees travelling from Russia, Kazakhstan, the U.K., Germany, the U.S. and Poland.

Organisers opened stadium gates at 3 p.m. to manage the anticipated influx, with crowds quickly filling metro platforms and corridors across the city as showtime neared. Travis Scott also joined West on stage during the show.

The Istanbul date marked the opening night of West’s first European tour in 11 years — and it came after a summer of closures across the continent. In April, the U.K. government denied West entry, ruling his presence “would not be conducive to the public good,” leading to the cancellation of his Wireless Festival headline slot, which had already lost major sponsors including PepsiCo and Diageo.

A Marseille show was postponed after French officials attempted to block it, and concerts in Poland and Switzerland were also cancelled. On the same day as the Istanbul concert, Italian authorities banned West and Travis Scott from performing at a July show at the 103,000-seat RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia, citing security concerns following requests from consumer group CODACONS and Jewish communities in Modena and Reggio Emilia.

West has attributed his past antisemitic statements — which included comments praising Adolf Hitler, the release of content using Nazi imagery and the release of a song titled “Heil Hitler” — to manic episodes caused by untreated bipolar disorder. He published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal in January 2026. Despite the European bans, several countries have permitted him to perform. His remaining confirmed tour dates include shows in the Netherlands on June 6 and 8, Tirana, Albania on July 11, and Georgia and Spain later in the summer.

West’s commercial run ahead of the tour has been significant. His latest studio album Bully debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart upon its release earlier this year. His catalogue includes 24 Grammy Awards and 10 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, making him one of the most decorated artists in chart history.

Macy Gray is returning to Australia for her most expansive tour of the region to date, announcing 21 dates across metropolitan and regional cities this spring.

The Encore Tour — Back by Popular Demand kicks off at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Sept. 11 and winds through South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia before closing at Ocean’s Winery in Margaret River on Oct. 24.

The run includes cities Gray has not previously visited in Australia, among them Shepparton, Albury, Thirroul, Tamworth, Erina, Shoal Bay, Rockhampton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. Pre-sale tickets are available from June 1 at 9 a.m. local time for venue and ticket outlet database members, with general sale opening June 3 at 9 a.m. local time via macygraylive.com.au.

The tour follows a sold-out Australian run in 2024. “Australia! The band and I have always had a ball down under, and we can’t wait to see you all again,” Gray said in a statement.

“This time, I’m heading to places I’ve never been before and will get to see so much more of your beautiful country. We’re going to be performing all the songs you want to hear, plus a few from my new album — The Trouble with the Truth. Australia will be the first audiences to hear tracks from the new album live so get your dancing shoes ready and come along and party with us at a show near you!”

Gray broke through internationally in 1999 with “I Try,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, hit No. 1 in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, and won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards — where it was also nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Her debut album On How Life Is sold more than seven million copies worldwide. She has since released ten studio albums, won one Grammy from five nominations, and sold more than 25 million records worldwide. In addition to her music career, Gray has appeared in films including Training Day and Spider-Man.

Macy Gray — The Encore Tour: Australia 2026

Sept. 11 — Melbourne, VIC — Hamer Hall
Sept. 12 — Adelaide, SA — Hindley Street Music Hall
Sept. 13 — Shepparton, VIC — Shepparton Entertainment Centre
Sept. 14 — Albury, VIC — Albury Entertainment Centre
Sept. 16 — Thirroul, NSW — Anita’s Theatre
Sept. 18 — Hobart, TAS — Wrest Point
Sept. 19 — Newcastle, NSW — The Station
Sept. 20 — Tamworth, NSW — Tamworth Town Hall
Sept. 24 — Rooty Hill, NSW — Coliseum Theatre
Sept. 25 — Sydney, NSW — Enmore Theatre
Sept. 26 — Erina, NSW — Woodport Hotel
Sept. 27 — Shoal Bay, NSW — Shoal Bay Country Club
Sept. 30 — Canberra, ACT — Southern Cross Club
Oct. 2 — Townsville, QLD — Townsville Civic Theatre
Oct. 3 — Cairns, QLD — CPAC
Oct. 7 — Rockhampton, QLD — Pilbeam Theatre
Oct. 8 — Byron Bay, NSW — Beach Road Hotel
Oct. 9 — Brisbane, QLD — QPAC
Oct. 10 — Coffs Harbour, NSW — CX Club
Oct. 11 — Port Macquarie, NSW — Glasshouse
Oct. 24 — Margaret River, WA — Ocean’s Winery