ALMATY — Mongolia’s artist Michel Joseph was crowned the winner of the first Asian vocal project, Silk Way Star, during a spectacular grand finale held in Astana on Nov. 22, marking a milestone moment for the region’s newest international music competition.
The winner was announced by Kazakh renowned artist Dimash Qudaibergen, who brought the winner’s statuette to Michael Joseph. Photo credit: Kazinform
The final featured performers from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, each presenting compositions in their native languages.
The live final, followed by millions of viewers across Asia, concluded the 10-episode cultural project that brought together performers from 12 participating countries and showcased some of the continent’s most diverse vocal traditions.
State Counselor Erlan Karin delivered a welcoming address from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasizing the show’s diplomatic and cultural significance, reported the Kazinform news agency.
“Silk Way Star is a unique initiative designed to promote the development of spiritual interaction between Asian countries and strengthen the bonds of friendship between our people,” Karin said.
Celebrating art and collaboration
The winner was announced by Kazakh renowned artist Dimash Qudaibergen, who brought the winner’s statuette to Joseph. A combined system of 50% jury evaluation and 50% online public voting on silkwaystar.org determined a victor.
During the ceremony, Director of the Television and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Raushan Kazhibayeva delivered the winner’s certificate, highlighting that Silk Way Star was launched following an agreement between the leaders of Kazakhstan and China earlier this year.
“I express gratitude to our Chinese colleagues for their comprehensive support. The grand final featured unique creative solutions that made the show spectacular and memorable,” she said.
Tokayev also extended his congratulations to the finalists and participants, praising the competition’s role in strengthening cultural ties across Asia in his official statement.
Record audience engagement
During the following press briefing, organizers presented consolidated results from the audience voting and international jury scoring. A total of 508,287 people from various countries participated in the vote, highlighting one of the highest engagement levels recorded among regional music competitions.
Given the absence of comparable vocal contests that span the entire continent, expanding participation beyond the initial 12-country framework is now viewed as both natural and expected.
“Overall, after the launch of this project in Kazakhstan, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam contacted us — they did not manage to participate this year, but next year the number of participating countries will certainly increase,” said Erkezhan Kuntugan, managing director of Jibek Joly TV Channel, outlining future plans.
Platform for cultural exchange
Speaking at a press briefing, Joseph also shared her admiration for Kazakh culture and announced plans to release a song in the Kazakh language.
“I am already working on a Kazakh song. I really love Kazakh culture and language. It is beautiful, and I want to learn it. I also want to release a song for my Kazakh listeners,” she said.
The grand final was broadcast live on Jibek Joly TV and simultaneously aired in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Mongolia, significantly expanding the project’s regional impact.
