Silk Way Star Debuts in Kazakhstan, Uniting Voices from Across Eurasia

The international vocal competition Silk Way Star will premiere this evening at 8:00 p.m. (GMT+5) on the Jibek Joly TV channel, marking the launch of a large-scale cultural project aimed at uniting artists across Eurasia.

The competition brings together performers from 12 countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and South Korea, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Each nation is represented by a leading vocal artist, showcasing the diversity and cultural richness of the region.

Representing Kazakhstan is singer ALEM (Batyrkhan Malikov), who addressed his supporters ahead of the show’s premiere, saying: “Support me, I’m counting on your support. I love you all!”

Silk Way Star is the first international music competition to be hosted in Kazakhstan’s capital. The show is expected to reach over 1 billion viewers globally, with localized broadcasts in the languages of all participating countries. It will be available in Kazakh, Chinese, and English, with weekly episodes airing in each region.

The 10-episode project features competitive vocal performances, cross-cultural duets, and songs performed in multiple languages. Each episode runs over 100 minutes, and the series will culminate in a live grand finale on November 22, broadcast on Jibek Joly TV and other major networks.

The winner will be selected through a combined voting system, with 50 per cent of the score determined by an expert jury and 50 per cent by online audience votes. Viewers across the participating countries will be able to vote throughout the season.

The project is being implemented under the Agreement on the Creation of the International Project Silk Way Star, signed between the TV and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and China Media Group.

All contestants arrived in Astana on August 22, and filming began on August 26.

Described as a potential cultural brand of Eurasia, the show aims to promote international collaboration through music and to foster greater understanding between the cultures of the Silk Road region.