On October 14, Dimash Qudaibergen performed at the Almaty Arena, presenting songs by composers from France, the United States, Turkiye, and Kazakhstan. As a composer, he also premiered his own new piece, “Samgau.”
The Almaty Open ATP 250, one of the major tournaments in the ATP 250 series, is not only a significant sporting event but also a cultural celebration that features performances by renowned artists.
People’s Artist of Kazakhstan Dimash Qudaibergen performed several compositions, delighting the audience with his new self-written song in Kazakh. “Samgau” a dedication to his people, told through the voice of a falcon soaring into the sky and embracing the world – was first performed at Dimash’s solo concert at Madison Square Garden on October 5, and later twice during his “Stranger” shows in Mexico.
Another Kazakh-language song a modern arrangement of “Tau Ishinde” by beloved national poet and composer Saken Seifullin – dominated Kazakhstan’s YouTube charts throughout the summer. Even on a cool autumn day, it filled the arena with warmth and inspired the crowd to sing along.
Dimash also energized the audience with “Weekend”, his collaboration with Turkish DJ Burak Yeter, first created ahead of his solo concert in Antalya in 2023 and later added to his “Stranger” world tour setlist.
Balancing dynamic and romantic moments, Dimash performed another recent premiere – “Love’s Not Over Yet”, created by a team of songwriters led by two-time Grammy Award winner Walter Afanasieff. The song was first introduced to fans in Almaty in May and later performed live with maestro Afanasieff himself on stage at Madison Square Garden on October 5.
After the performance, Dimash joined the evening hosts for a short interview:
Do you watch the tournament yourself?
“Since the competition is held in our country and our players represent Kazakhstan, I try to follow and support them whenever I can. I’m not the most avid fan, but I do watch tennis from time to time.”
Have you ever held a tennis racket?
“Of course, absolutely.”
Any plans for a song about tennis? Any hope?
“To be honest, not yet. I don’t know — we’ll see.”
Who among our tennis players do you root for?
“For all of them. I support everyone who competes under the flag of Kazakhstan.”