American rapper Kanye West, popularly known as Ye, has announced his first European concert in over a decade.
The Stronger hitmaker is set to return to the European stage with a one-night-only performance at the GelreDome in Arnhem, the Netherlands, on Saturday, 6 June.
According to a press release, the show will kick off a limited run of European dates, with another confirmed concert scheduled to take place in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on 18 July. Additional dates are yet to be announced.
The Arnhem concert will mark Kanye’s first live performance in Europe since 2014 and his first appearance in the Netherlands since 2013.
Reacting to the announcement, a spokesperson for GelreDome described the event as a major moment for music fans in the country.
“We look forward to welcoming Ye to GelreDome. This is an event of international scale and a special moment for Dutch audiences. We expect significant demand,” the spokesperson said.
Concert organisers, J.Noah Live, also described the show as a rare opportunity for fans, noting that it would not be a conventional performance.
“This will not be a standard concert. It’s a moment like his last show at GelreDome in 2012, still talked about today in the Netherlands,” the organisers stated.
Although Kanye West has not staged a full European concert in more than 12 years, he held listening parties for Vultures, his collaborative project with Ty Dolla $ign, in 2023 and 2024. His Sunday Service gospel choir also performed in Paris in March 2020.
The 48-year-old rapper has faced backlash in recent years following antisemitic and racist remarks, which led to the loss of several major business partnerships.
Last month, Kanye issued a public apology to Jewish and Black communities through a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal, attributing some of his past behaviour to bipolar disorder and injuries from a car accident 25 years ago. He later clarified that the apology was not an attempt to revive his commercial career.
Kanye West upcoming album, Bully, which has faced multiple delays, is now scheduled for release on 20 March.
Tickets for the Arnhem concert will go on general sale on Friday.
