Celebrities

The truth behind Shakira and Eminem’s Almaty rumors

Organizers respond to viral Shakira and Eminem concert claims / Collage by Kursiv.media, photo editor: Adelina Mamedova

After reports of a possible visit by Shakira and Eminem to Almaty circulated online, concert organizer Alexey Puchkov shared details about the artists’ requirements and the status of negotiations.

Read also: J.Lo’s Almaty diary: Locusts for me, beshbarmak for the band.

According to Puchkov, talks with Shakira have been ongoing for some time, but no confirmed offers have been made. He shared a screenshot of correspondence with Tony Goldring, indicating that the singer’s performance fee for Kazakhstan is estimated at $7.5 million.

Photo: threads.com/@puchkov, photo editor: Adelina Mamedova

Shakira’s management also requires a venue with a minimum capacity of 50,000.

Puchkov noted that such «astronomical» fees are often shaped by negotiations with local promoters, which can drive up artists’ asking prices for the region.

Eminem’s touring outlook

The situation with Eminem appears less promising. Puchkov said the rapper is not currently willing to travel to Kazakhstan. He also noted that the artist has not been actively touring in many regions.

Some users in the comments echoed this view, pointing out that Eminem rarely performs even in the U.S.