Ahead of his upcoming concert tour, Dimash Qudaibergen appeared in the premiere episode of “Global Mixtape,” a new project from the GRAMMY studio. In a conversation with journalist Valerie Lee, Dimash reflected on his journey as a musician, discussed distinctive aspects of Kazakh culture and shared his upcoming concert plans.

Dimash, as I was getting to know a little bit about your background, something that struck me was that music really felt like it was part of your destiny. Can you tell me a little bit about what it was like as a child and how you remember music first early on in your life?

My parents are famous artists in our country, and they have classical training. So our home was always filled with music, from traditional Kazakh folk songs to recordings of, for example, the Three Tenors: Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti. We listened to a lot of songs in all kinds of genres. So because of this, I think I love working in so many genres.

I heard that you were performing as early as the age of two on stage with your parents. 

I was five years old. I’m 32 now, so that’s almost 27 years. 

And you can tell that you have been performing for over 20 years now at this point because you have such a great presence on stage. It’s a long time to be practicing and that’s why you’re so great at it. I really want to hear a little bit more from your words about Kazakhstan culture and the music because I find that it’s so rich and so interesting especially for so many people who are unfamiliar with it. 

Yes, Kazakh culture is the voice of the steppe. It’s music in which the dombra and the kobyz, another traditional instrument, echo the sounds of the wind and, for example, the wolf. They capture the thunder of galloping horses and the language of love. Our stories are told through küi. Küi are instrumental compositions that carry history and emotion without words.

“Music is a very specific language. We don’t need words. And then there’s the tradition of aitys—how do I explain aitys? It’s like a battle, a little bit like rap, for example, but also very different.

So you kind of play to each other, maybe one at a time? That must be very cool. And that’s what I really appreciated about the dombra: it seems like a simple instrument when you look at it. There are only two strings.

It’s a difficult instrument. It’s very difficult. 

What makes it so difficult? 

I don’t know, but I’ve been learning for nearly 20 years, and I still don’t think I can play very well. 

Well, I think that’s your opinion, but a lot of people would probably say you play very well. And that’s a great segue to the next thing I wanted to ask you about. What’s so unique about you as a musician is that you connect with so many different cultures and communities, and you sing and speak in so many languages—Russian, Chinese, French, Italian, and many more that I’m probably forgetting. I think it’s up to 12 languages that you sing and speak in. Tell me a little bit about where that came from.

Learning songs in other languages is my way of saying thank you. It’s how I show my appreciation for the love and respect people have for me, my culture, and our country. In a couple of months, we’re going to start our new tour, and in every country, I want to try to perform in the local language, on their own soil. So I think I can do it. Let’s see.

I think you can, too. There are so many languages you can still bring into your music, and I’m excited to see which countries and languages come next. Another part of your world as a musician is that you’re not only an incredible singer, but also a songwriter, bringing that element into your work. Sometimes it’s about love; sometimes it’s about finding peace. I’m sure those themes resonate with your global audience. I’d love to hear more about how you think about the topics you sing and write about.

My biggest mission isn’t about the commercial side. It’s not about earning money. The most important thing is that, as people with an audience, we need to remind people about peace and other good things: love and understanding one another. Money is not the most important thing in our lives, so I’m trying to use my opportunity to remind people of that. 

It’s such a beautiful message. I think it’s easy to see why people are so passionate about you as an artist. The music is great, but the message is great, too, and it’s really lovely when it all comes together.

In Kazakhstan, we have a saying: “A person without a goal is like a bird without wings.” Of course, I dreamed of performing on the world’s biggest stage, and I worked toward that dream. At the same time, our great poet and philosopher Abai reminded us that there are many goals for those who seek, but few for those who believe they have already found them. I think the journey itself is the true purpose, so I just keep moving forward.

I’ve heard that you have a lot coming up, including reaching more fans and visiting new places. You’re going to South America for a tour. Could you tell me a little more about what’s next for you?

I’m not sure. I need to keep it secret, or maybe I can’t say yet. But it’s going to be more than 20 countries—maybe more than 30, maybe more than 40. I want to do many concerts and visit countries all around the world because I love meeting my fans.

In a couple of weeks, we’ll show a documentary about my concert at Madison Square Garden on my YouTube channel. I want to be humble, but it was the first time an artist from a CIS country performed at such a major venue. It means a lot to me and to our country.

For Dimash Qudaibergen, the voice is more than an instrument. It’s a bridge between tradition and experimentation, between Kazakhstan and the wider world, and between people who may not speak the same language but understand the same emotion. As he looks ahead to his next tour, the mission continues—one audience, one city, and one song at a time.