On May 26, Almaty hosted a remarkable event – a creative evening with Dimash Qudaibergen, which combined a fan meeting and a concert featuring some of Kazakhstan’s famous artists.

Under the sweeping arches of Almaty Arena, nearly 10,000 people gathered – locals and visitors from 40 countries came to congratulate Dimash on his birthday.

The evening opened with a heartfelt collective rendition of “Happy Birthday to You”, sung by the entire audience in harmony. A special moment followed when Dimash took a phone call on stage from the legendary Bibigul Akhmetovna Tulegenova, who offered her warm congratulations.

The event featured open discussions on topics related to Dimash’s creative journey and career, with interactive segments where hosts invited him to answer quiz-style questions.

One of the night’s highlights was the discussion of Dimash’s latest music video for “Tau Ishinde”. He shared what inspired him to revisit this beloved folk tune and present it in a comedic format.

At the end of the conversation, Dimash announced the results of a challenge he launched for the most creative fan-made video. The winners, chosen from the most-viewed submissions, were @aqmonshaq_nurtaza and @andrea_kudaibergen.

The grand prize: tickets to one of Dimash’s upcoming concerts in Barcelona, Berlin, London, or Riga including travel and accommodation.

Ahead of the event, Dimash invited fans on Instagram to submit questions, while his team also collected entries via a Google form. At the event, a special globe-shaped DQ Fan Box randomly selected questions for him to answer.

One question touched on his potential acting career. Dimash replied that while he hopes to explore acting further, music will always remain his main focus. Asked about the role of artificial intelligence in music, he simply stated: “Music is the soul. Everything else doesn’t matter.”

He also gave fans a sneak peek into future plans. In collaboration with the renowned Chinese network Hunan TV, creators of Singer, Dimash is preparing an international vocal competition next year. He will serve as both a producer and a jury member, alongside legendary global musicians.

Another announcement: on May 27, the musical film Stranger will premiere in Kazakhstan cinemas. It was filmed during Dimash’s solo concerts in Astana on September 13 and 14, 2024. During the fan meeting, Dimash invited everyone to the premiere and shared the story behind the main character, who travels through time and space in search of magical crystals.

A touching moment came with the appearance of 11-year-old Isa Bekbolat from the village of Almaly in the Atyrau region. A recent video of him singing “Balqadisha” in a sports hall went viral on social media. Always supportive of young talent, Dimash invited Isa to the fan meeting, where the young athlete performed the song, received gifts, including a dombyra, and heartfelt encouragement from the artist.

The topic of humanitarian efforts was also raised. As a UN Goodwill Ambassador, Dimash shared that he plans to meet again with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in three days during the Astana International Forum.

The evening also included a surprise announcement of a new concert in Dimash’s Stranger tour. A teaser video revealed the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City as the next venue. The concert date will be officially announced on May 27.

The concert portion featured a vibrant lineup of Dimash’s friends and colleagues performing songs from his discography.

The show opened with a dynamic performance of “Zhalyn” by Dastan Orazbekov and the DQ show ballet. Yerlan Amandyk and Akbota Nur followed with “Mahabbat ber magan,” while Amre gave a fresh interpretation of “Aqquym.”

Zarina Altynbayeva performed “Ave Maria,” and young vocalist SADRADDIN sang Dimash’s original piece “Umytylmas kun.”

Trio KeshYOU and the DQ show ballet delighted the crowd with a new version of “Be with Me,” and Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Saken Maigaziyev moved the audience with “Daididau.”

The finale brought all the artists together for “Love of Tired Swans,” after which Dimash joined them on stage to thunderous applause.

Before Dimash’s solo performance, his mother, Svetlana Aitbaeva, took the stage to sing “Mom and Dad,” accompanied by her younger son Mansur and dombyra duo Temirlan and Yernat.

Dimash then returned with his dance team for an energetic set, performing “Durdaraz,” “Weekend,” and “Give Me Your Love.”

That evening, two recent releases were performed live for the first time: “Tau Ishinde,” which the audience enthusiastically sang along to, and “Love’s Not Over Yet,” with Dimash accompanying himself on the piano.

Dear friends! You can relive the concert experience starting today the musical film Stranger is now playing in theaters. Enjoy the show!