Ay Yola, an ethnic music band from the Republic of Bashkortostan — a republic within the Russian Federation — has released a music video for their song «Yola,» a portion of which was filmed in Kazakhstan.
The band revealed that the video was filmed across three countries; however, fans have recognized landscapes from Kazakhstan and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
«‘Yola’ means traditions on which the world rests. This song was the starting point for us and has become the heart of our trio,» Ay Yola shared on social media.
Kazakhstani viewers spotted many familiar locations from the Mangystau Peninsula. The video also captures the Mars-like landscapes of the Mangystau region — chalk mountains, endless desert and mysterious round boulders.
Rinat Ramazanov, one of the band members, shared backstage photos on Instagram. The group also met with the region’s governor Nurdaulet Kilybai.
The band’s latest live performance took place at The Spirit of Tengri ethnic festival, held in Almaty from June 7 to 8, where Ay Yola was the headliner.
Ay Yola gained global popularity with their hit «Homay» — a song about a mythical bird of the same name from Eastern legends and fables — which entered Shazam’s Global Top 200 Chart, outranking hits by Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar in early April.
