Kanye West to stage second show in Hainan

Kanye West's Sunday event attracts nearly 40,000 spectators in Haikou, Hainan province. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Authorities in Hainan province announced on Monday they will host another Kanye West listening party this weekend, after the US artist's Sunday event attracted nearly 40,000 spectators in Haikou, the provincial capital.

The 47-year-old rapper from the United States made a return to China after 16 years, hosting a world tour listening party for his album Vultures 2at the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium that coincided with the first day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

All 42,000 tickets for the Sunday event were sold out, with 96.5 percent purchased by fans from outside Hainan, with top ticket sales coming from cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Beijing and Chengdu.

"This is a pioneer music extravaganza, and I can see the sincerity of the host city," said Du Xiaorui from Chongqing. She said West's posters and electronic screens had greeted her everywhere from the airport to major shopping centers, and numerous perks and benefits had been offered to the concertgoers.

Many malls, hotels and tourist attractions in Haikou launched promotional activities as part of the listening party.

The event generated ticket sales of about 51 million yuan ($7.19 million), the city's tourism, culture, radio, television and sports bureau said.

The event boosted hospitality industry revenue in Haikou, according to the bureau, with the average occupancy rate of accommodation facilities in the city on the day of his performance reaching 83.42 percent, up 41.82 percent year-on-year and 10.44 percent month-on-month.

"The event effectively stimulated cultural and tourism spending in Haikou, contributing to economic growth and generating broad social benefits," a bureau spokesman said.

Describing the show as a milestone event since the establishment of Hainan province in 1988, he said the first international-scale performance in the city stood out despite the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yagi, illustrating Haikou's resilience and global outlook.

Before the performance, Haikou grappled with severe infrastructure damage, including to the western grandstand canopy of the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium, as a result of the powerful storm that made landfall on Sept 6.

Following the adversity brought on by the natural disaster, support poured in from various parts of China, with officials, front-line workers and volunteers uniting to address the damage and restore normalcy in the city. The stadium underwent a thorough evaluation by experts and received temporary repair measures to swiftly rectify the damaged areas, ensuring the successful hosting of the event.

During the three-hour listening party on Sunday, West thrilled fans with the global debut of the remix of A Thousand Miles. As the performance gained momentum, he removed his mask and hood, further engaging with the audience. The rapper also brought his four children onto a stage adorned with a sea of wheat, evoking a sense of bountiful harvest, complemented by elements such as the moon, aligning with Mid-Autumn Festival.

"Having the chance to listen to international music right at my doorstep and interact with fans from around the world, I'm over the moon," said Haikou resident Xing Boshen.

He said he had noticed the presence of trendily dressed people on the streets and in the shopping malls of Haikou in recent days, speculating that many were fans who had come specifically for the music party. "I feel happy to see the new fashion trends arriving in Haikou," Xing added.

A recent Instagram post by West shared a childhood photo of himself in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, with the caption: "BACK (I'm back)."

West spent a year of his childhood in China when he moved to Nanjing at age of 10 with his mother, who taught English at Nanjing University.

In 2008, West held concerts in Beijing and Shanghai.