There’s also pressure from bands for a breather, after Kanye West’s formal entrance to India was cancelled, and as it stands, the lyricist has apparently jettisoned plans for a second performance in the country.
Thousands waited months for the rapper and producer to appear on stage in India and for their hopes and dreams to be dashed by this cancellation itself. The organisers refuse to admit any statements about being hampered by logistical and scheduling snags that made the event impossible.
With speculation that Kanye was about to set foot in India, the concert was well-received. Larger venues were receiving hits from him in other corners of the country, and fans in South India and the USA were hoping for big launches. This was not the first time plans in the works for Kanye West concerts in India had been scrapped.
Early proposals to bring the artist’s first public concert to the country were blasted by critics as poorly coordinated for the first time on their record and then stymied as well. The long waits had also whipped up anger among fans who had spoken out against it when news about its existence broke online.
Kanye West (or Ye) is arguably one of the most powerful, iconic, polarising names in Western music and global popular culture and arguably the world’s most enduring name. And yet, the rapper’s follow-up albums peaked on music charts, and he has established a reputation for his music, his fashion collaborations and his frequent appearances, all of which contributed to how far and wide an international fan base can be spread, which at times had to be too massive, the odds never being meant by chance.
He still garners plenty of love in the country today, which has drawn headlines in the past and is also mired in all kinds of controversies about the man’s comments and business dealings. But that was exactly what fans anticipated the India concert would have been: a sort of milestone ground floor for global hip-hop performers in town.
Even with these changes, there are still significant challenges faced in implementing big concerts to accommodate multinational audiences from the Indian industry, the Indian industry, the management of venue and backstage, security and logistical coordination with sponsors and scheduling, which is the most important.
And yet, though recent international music tours in India are a sign that India is on its way to becoming the world’s premier live entertainment venue, the country is still a long way off from being a newfound favourite. The new date is not confirmed, rescheduled, or deferred. The event organisers and Kanye West’s team haven’t produced a formal report; fans who have wait-listed for one.
