American pop icon Jennifer Lopez will perform in Kazakhstan’s capital this summer, with local officials predicting a major economic windfall from the event. Malik Hasenov, producer at Astana Concert Company, told a recent government meeting that the concert could generate over 6.5 billion KZT ($12.6 million) for the city’s economy and contribute 400 million KZT ($778,000) in taxes to the state budget.
Kazakhstan on the Map of J.Lo’s World Tour
Astana has been added to Lopez’s Up All Night world tour schedule, with the concert set to take place at Astana Arena on August 1.
The tour includes stops in Turkey, Egypt, Spain, Hungary, Poland, the UAE, and other countries, but Kazakhstan is her only Central Asian destination. She is scheduled to perform in Abu Dhabi before arriving in Astana and will close the tour in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.
“I will have some special concerts this summer. I am very much looking forward to meeting you. We haven’t seen each other for too long. This summer is going to be awesome,” Lopez wrote on Instagram.
Economic Impact: Expectations and Numbers
According to Hasenov, approximately 15,000 tourists are expected to visit Astana for the concert, with significant spending projected across hotels, restaurants, transportation, and retail sectors. “Jennifer Lopez’s arrival will be a landmark moment, opening Astana on the touring map of A-class stars,” he said.
Tickets are expected to go on sale shortly, ranging in price from 40,000 to 150,000 KZT ($75 to $290).
Astana will also host two other major events in 2025. On July 13, the Alem Fest music festival, featuring British singer Craig David as headliner, will take place at Astana Arena, coinciding with the closing of Comic Con Astana. Additionally, large-scale drone shows are planned, expected to attract up to a million spectators.
J.Lo and Kazakhstan: A Brief History
This won’t be Jennifer Lopez’s first visit to Kazakhstan. In 2010, she performed at a private birthday celebration, and in 2011, she returned for a New Year’s corporate event. Reports estimate she was paid around $3 million for both appearances.
In 2017, Lopez drew attention from Kazakhstani fans during a Las Vegas concert when she echoed chants of “Kazakhstan!” shouted by Gennady Golovkin supporters, a moment that quickly went viral.
A year later, controversy arose when YouTube temporarily blocked the Kazakh music video Zyn-zyn, citing similarities to Lopez’s Control Myself. The video was later reinstated following public backlash in Kazakhstan, with many hailing it as a “small victory”.
Most recently, in February 2025, Lopez interacted with a Kazakh fan named Binura during a concert in Abu Dhabi, sparking lively discussions across Kazakhstani social media.
