Kirkorov, Bilan, Baskov, and Anna Asti to perform at the site initially designated for a mosque in Kazan
After a decade of efforts, Tatarstan has succeeded in relocating the 'New Wave' music festival to Kazan
Following the announcement that the 'Golden Mask' festival would be relocating to Kazan, it has now been confirmed that the capital of Tatarstan will host yet another major event — the New Wave International Competition for Young Performers. Efforts to bring the competition to Kazan date back to the previous decade. Read more in Realnoe Vremya’s report.
Kazan’s decade-long dream becomes reality
The festival is scheduled to take place from 21 to 26 August 2025, as announced by Kazan’s mayor, Ilsur Metshin, and composer Igor Krutoy. Alongside the competition’s finalists, performances will feature major Russian pop stars, including Philipp Kirkorov, Alsou, Dima Bilan, Nikolai Baskov, Oleg Gazmanov, Lusia Chebotina, Sergey Lazarev, and others.
However, Krutoy noted that, for now, the festival will be held in Kazan for “one year only.”
“I am thrilled that today this dream has come true. Not just for me, but for our entire team — we have been working towards this for over a decade. I remember we once collected 100,000 signatures in support of hosting the competition and sent them to Moscow. Finally, it seems those letters have reached Ded Moroz,” Metshin joked.
In 2015, the 'New Wave' festival changed its venue, relocating from Latvia to Sochi. The move followed Latvia’s decision to ban entry to a number of Russian artists who had voiced support for the annexation of Crimea. At the time, the Kazan City Duma had already proposed bringing the festival to the capital of Tatarstan.
Mayor Metshin reminded Igor Krutoy of Kazan’s successful track record in hosting major international events, including the Universiade, the FINA World Championships, WorldSkills, and the BRICS Games. Metshin also noted that hosting the festival would help attract tourists not only from across Russia but from around the world.
Festival site to replace planned mosque location
The 'New Wave' festival will be held on the square in front of the Kazan Family Center, where a temporary structure accommodating 2,500 spectators will be erected. Around 6,000 square meters of surrounding space will also be landscaped. Organisers anticipate the participation of approximately 300 VIP guests, 150 performers each day, 300 members of the organising committee, and 100 volunteers.
Initially, plans for the site included creating a 14.3-hectare artificial embankment to accommodate the construction of the Cathedral Mosque and a recreational area. However, after the decision was made to relocate the mosque to Kyrlay Park, the size of the artificial land plot was reduced to 9.8 hectares. The area was then designated for recreational development, with a project budget of 4.2 million rubles.
Later, following public protests and disputes, the State Construction Supervision Authority of Tatarstan issued a compliance certificate confirming that the land met project documentation requirements. Nevertheless, in 2021, the Volga Environmental Prosecutor’s Office ruled the land reclamation unlawful.
During discussions about the festival site, a light-hearted moment occurred. While describing the project, Mayor Metshin compared the temporary structure to a “chapiteau," a term typically used to describe a circus tent, prompting a surprised reaction from composer Igor Krutoy.
“As for the structure we saw — let’s say, a portable chapiteau," the mayor remarked. Seeing Krutoy’s puzzled expression, he quickly added: “In a good way! Our Russian might not be perfect — you must understand, we’re in Tatarstan. Here, we call such modular structures a 'chapiteau'," Metshin explained with a smile.
The Volga will energise the competition
When asked about the choice of Kazan as the festival venue, Krutoy took a moment to reflect on his experience during the 2013 Universiade.
“I have a strong connection with Kazan. It all started with the Universiade. I personally witnessed the construction of the stadium's decorations, which were still being completed," the composer recalled.
He also highlighted the special role of the Volga River, which, in his opinion, will bring an added energy to the festival's name.
“The people, the culture, the conservatory (since 2015, Kazan has been home to the Igor Krutoy Academy — ed.), and the concert scene... I can't pinpoint one specific reason why I am here. It’s all interconnected," said Krutoy. “Including the Volga, which inspires the creation of something new. After all, the very name of our program, 'New Wave,' carries an impulse for development, and Kazan plays a key role in this.”