A series of festive concerts by foreign pop performers took place in Ashgabat on the eve of the New Year holidays. The opening of the musical marathon was entrusted to one of the world’s most famous singers — Arash.

A Eurovision prizewinner, the Iranian-Swedish artist known for hits such as “Boro Boro,” “Broken Angel,” “Pure Love,”and “Temptation,” once again won over the audience, showcasing his distinctive Eastern performance style and irresistible charisma.

Unable to hide his joyful emotions, Arash greeted the audience with the words: “Salam, Turkmenistan!” In this address, one could sense the artist’s sincere happiness at returning to the country. As the performer himself noted, his first visit to Turkmenistan took place about 15 years ago, and since then the warmth and hospitality of the Turkmen people have remained in his memory for a long time.

The audience welcomed each song with applause and sang along to the popular hits. Saying goodbye to the crowd, Arash promised that he would definitely return to Turkmenistan.

The following evening at the Winter Sports Complex was entirely devoted to Russian performer Matvey Melnikov, better known by his stage name Mot. The artist immediately noted that this was his first time in Turkmenistan and that he was sincerely touched by the warm welcome he received in the capital.

When Mot’s main hits sounded from the stage — such as “Август – это ты”, “Капкан”, “Случайности не случайны”, “Сопрано”, “Абсолютно всё”, “Мурашками” and the energetic “Мама, я в Дубае”, “День и ночь”, as well as the romantic “Когда мужчина влюблён” — the audience could not contain their emotions and sang along to every word. The glow of smartphone lights from the stands added a special charm to the moment, turning the concert into a true celebration of music and light.

Throughout the entire concert, the rap performer’s show was accompanied by a dance troupe. The artist himself, who began his career as a dancer, amazed the audience with a variety of choreographic moves, encouraging the crowd to join in the dancing. In the finale of the evening, Mot donned a red don and a white telpek — elements of the Turkmen national costume that symbolize pride, dignity, and the rich cultural heritage of the country.

The Turkish pop performer Semicenk continued the pre-New Year musical marathon. The singer’s real name is Cenk Bash. He became famous after participating in the show “O Ses Türkiye” in 2019. Later, Semicenk topped the charts with hits such as “Düşer Aklıma” and “Pişman Değilim,” as well as collaborations with other artists. He is distinguished by his emotional vocals and modern sound.

According to the singer, he was very happy to visit the country and bring good cheer to the residents of Ashgabat and guests of the capital.

The concerts by foreign pop artists became a wonderful addition to the events held as part of the International Year of Peace and Trust. Organizing such concerts ahead of important events in the country has become one of the fine traditions initiated by the Hero Arkadag and successfully continued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The main goal of these cultural events is to create a festive atmosphere on the eve of the New Year.