Kanye West’s Shanghai concert disaster unfolded on July 12, 2025, leaving thousands of fans frustrated. The rapper, now known as Ye, faced delays, technical glitches, and accusations of lip-syncing during his first major show in nearly a year. This event at Shanghai Stadium drew 70,000 attendees but ended in chants for refunds. Experts and fans alike called it one of the worst concerts ever. Below, we break down what happened, based on reports from reliable sources.
The concert was set to start at 7:30 p.m. However, heavy rain caused delays. West arrived on stage over 40 minutes late. Once the show began, technical issues took over. Sound quality fluctuated, and screens flickered on and off. The DJ had to restart several songs due to malfunctions. Fans shared videos on social media showing these problems.
Many people accused West of lip-syncing during his performance. Clips seemed to show that his voice continued even when he was turned away from the microphone, leading to reports that the mic was active for less than 20% of the time. During the encore, West left the stage for more than 20 minutes while “Wolves” played without him. He returned briefly to bow silently before exiting again. Additionally, he paused the performance three times to address issues with the equipment backstage. The show ended suddenly. An unauthorised track played after West left, which he later described as shocking. Attendees felt disappointed, as West performed fewer songs than promised.
Kanye West fans demand refunds after chaotic Shanghai performance: ‘Worst concert I’ve ever been to’ https://t.co/1UviaQYB8R pic.twitter.com/d7MKJnwSME
— Page Six (@PageSix) July 14, 2025As the lights turned on, the crowd erupted with chants of “Refund!” in both English and Mandarin. Videos recorded fans throwing bottles and expressing their anger. One concertgoer shared with local media, “This was the worst concert I’ve ever been to.” Another attendee, who had flown in from a different province, demanded their money back.
On Weibo and X, complaints flooded in. Fans paid over $400 for tickets but got a poor production and bad weather. Social media posts highlighted the chaos, with one user asking, “Was he even singing?”
Promoter StellarAmberGroup issued an apology on Weibo, citing heavy rain as the cause of production issues. They claimed that West’s team postponed the start to uphold artistic quality. The group is considering offering partial refunds, though no timeline has been provided.
The organizer of US pop singer Kanye West's (also known as Ye) Shanghai concert has issued an apology after the event was delayed and drew criticism. In a statement released late Saturday on China's X-like platform Sina Weibo, event promoter StellarAmberGroup expressed regret… pic.twitter.com/z1logbLzaR
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 14, 2025West responded via a statement. He denied being late, saying he arrived before 3 p.m. with surveillance proof. He explained that equipment problems caused the 8 p.m. start. Despite challenges, he performed out of respect for fans. West expressed love for China and promised better shows ahead.
This was West’s first Shanghai concert since 2008 and his return to live performances after a hiatus. 37 It comes amid controversy. Last week, former assistant Lauren Pisciotta filed an amended lawsuit alleging sexual assault, battery, and more. 38 West denies these claims. A second show is planned for July 14, 2025, but ticket resales are surging at lower prices. Fans wonder if it can redeem the disaster.
