Silk Way Star returns - Second season of Asia's premier project launches in China
Artists from various countries will meet on one stage once again: the second season features representatives from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Turkey, Serbia, South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil, and Georgia.
Rukhiya Baydukenova at Silk Way Star. Photo: ©️ Tengrinews.kz / Ulan Kenzhegaliev
For Kazakhstan, this is the continuation of a bold experiment: the domestic cultural and media project, originally designed for an international audience, has received a second season and is now evolving on a Chinese platform.
Singer Rukhiya Baydukenova represents Kazakhstan.
The official opening ceremony was held in Yiwu, the city chosen as the filming location for the new season. The project was created as a platform where artists from different countries can showcase their culture through music while simultaneously getting to know each other's work.
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Silk Way Star is being implemented under an agreement between the Television and Radio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the China Media Group (CMG).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, CMG Editorial Board member Ma Shuping noted that Silk Way Star has become a significant international cultural project emerging from the 2025 cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
"Silk Way Star is the embodiment of the idea of uniting thought, art, and technology in the modern media environment. The competition will continue to deepen international media cooperation, utilizing the synergy of television and internet platforms, as well as online and offline formats, to tell the story of the Silk Road—moving from 'I' to 'we', and from 'China' to the 'world'," Ma Shuping stated.
Opening ceremony. Photo: Jia Ningzhi
Erkezhan Kuntugan, Managing Director of the Jibek Joly/Silk Way TV channel, also emphasized the project's international significance. She thanked the Chinese partners and noted that Silk Way Star has already become an essential platform for cultural exchange between Kazakhstan and China.
In the future, she believes the project can unite even more brilliant musicians and open new opportunities for cooperation between Kazakhstan and China.
Erkezhan Kuntugan at the opening ceremony. Photo: Jia Ningzhi
As a reminder, in June 2025, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement to implement the project.
Speaking on the significance of Silk Way Star, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called defined it a "model of modern cultural diplomacy."
"Through creativity and talent, we strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples. This is the primary mission of Silk Way Star," the Head of State noted.
Notably, the first season of Silk Way Star took place in Astana and managed to attract viewers' attention across several countries.
Opening of Silk Way Star. Photo: ©️ Tengrinews.kz / Ulan Kenzhegaliev
Last year, the show's finale was broadcast live on the Kazakh TV channel Jibek Joly. Additionally, the project was aired on Space TV in Azerbaijan, Safina in Tajikistan, the Muzyka and Madaniyat channels in Kyrgyzstan, UBS and AIST Global in Mongolia, Zor TV in Uzbekistan, and Georgian Times in Georgia. Including television and internet broadcasts, the project's total reach exceeded one billion people.
Opening of Silk Way Star. Photo: Jia Ningzhi
During the project, artists presented more than 90 performances. The scale behind the scenes was just as impressive as the broadcast. Productions featured a multi-level stage, an LED floor, and a large spiral of light screens. Fifteen cameras worked on set, and a unique performance was created for almost every participant, taking into account their musical style and cultural context.
Audience voting provided another measure of the project's scale. The winner was not determined by experts alone: 50 percent of the result came from the jury's decision, and the other 50 percent came from online voting. Votes for the finalists were cast from 43 countries. Interest in the final was exceptionally high, as viewers from seven different countries literally swarmed the project's website.
The winner was Mongolia's representative Michelle Joseph, whose name was announced by Dimash Qudaibergen.
Michelle Joseph is a singer and songwriter who blends traditional Mongolian Urtyn duu with pop, R&B, and funk. She performs in both Mongolian and English.
For her, winning Silk Way Star was more than just a television contest title. Following the finale, Michelle spoke about the cultural proximity between the two countries.
"Mongolia and Kazakhstan are by no means strangers to each other. Our cultures and history are deeply intertwined. I believe we are like brother and sister—two nations—and so we must preserve this beautiful friendship and the music in our hearts," she said.
The story later continued: in January 2026, the President of Mongolia awarded Michelle Joseph the Order of the Polar Star. According to the singer, it was especially important to her that not only her name, but also the name of her country, was heard on the international stage.