Kanye West Arrives in Jakarta Ahead of GBK Concert

JAKARTA — Jakartaweekly.com. Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has arrived in Jakarta ahead of his concert, Ye Live in Jakarta 2026, scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium.

The performance is billed as his only official show in Southeast Asia and Oceania this year, drawing attention from fans across the region and beyond.

Ye’s arrival was reported through a post by the Threads account @thrivinmag, which showed the rapper landing at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in East Jakarta on Friday afternoon. He was seen wearing a black hoodie and accompanied by his wife, Bianca Censori, who wore an outfit in a similar colour.

The couple was accompanied by personal security and airport security personnel as they made their way to a waiting black vehicle.

Thousands Expected at GBK

The concert is expected to attract fans from across Southeast Asia and other international markets, including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Vietnam and New Zealand.

The event is also expected to generate activity across Jakarta’s tourism and hospitality sectors, including hotels, restaurants and other businesses serving concertgoers.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has expressed strong support for the concert, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen the capital’s position as a global city and host of international events.

Speaking at a press conference at Jakarta City Hall on September 15, Pramono said the concert was a significant moment for the city because Jakarta had been selected as the sole Southeast Asian and Oceanian stop on Ye’s concert schedule.

He said the Jakarta administration would coordinate transport arrangements to help manage traffic and accommodate concert audiences.

The concert coincides with the Jakarta Running Festival 2026, scheduled for October 22–25, which is expected to involve around 38,000 runners.

Pramono said the city would coordinate transport services to reduce disruption between the two major events, with support from the Jakarta Transportation Agency and the Public Order Agency.

Organisers Prepare Security and Transport Measures

Concert promoter Raw Vision Collective has prepared security measures involving 2,000 personnel across the stadium and its inner ring road, according to information released ahead of the event.

Organisers have also coordinated with MRT Jakarta and Transjakarta to extend operating hours into the early morning to help concertgoers travel home after the show. Attendees are encouraged to use public transport to avoid traffic congestion around GBK.

Karen Tjahja, marketing and communications lead at Raw Vision Collective, said more than 5,000 people had been involved in preparing the concert, including production crews, ticketing staff and cleaning teams.

Speaking at a press conference in the SCBD area of South Jakarta on Thursday, October 22, Karen acknowledged the work of the teams involved in building and preparing the event.

The scale of the preparations reflects the logistical demands of hosting an international concert at one of Indonesia’s largest stadiums.

Jakarta Seeks to Capitalise on International Events

The Jakarta administration sees major events such as Ye’s concert as opportunities to support tourism, the creative economy and the city’s international profile.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana also welcomed the city administration’s support for international music events, saying they could activate a wider tourism ecosystem, from accommodation to food and beverage businesses.

According to figures cited by Pramono, Jakarta recorded 8.82 million domestic tourist visits and 1.04 million international tourist visits in the first half of 2026, an increase of approximately 8.17% compared with the same period last year.

The governor also cited Jakarta’s economic growth of 5.52% during the quarter and its contribution of approximately 16.15% to Indonesia’s gross domestic product.

With Ye’s concert taking place alongside the Jakarta Running Festival, the city faces a busy weekend of events requiring coordination across security, transportation and public services.

For fans arriving from outside Jakarta and overseas, the concert is set to be one of the capital’s most prominent international entertainment events of the year.