NEWS
Kanye West has already been commanding headlines this week following his widely discussed apology. Still, while much of the focus has been on that moment, Ye is also gearing up for a major live return. The artist is scheduled to take the stage in Mexico City across two consecutive nights, marking one of his most ambitious performances in recent years.
After completely selling out the first night on January 30 at Plaza de Toros, the rapper confirmed an additional date back in November. The run is shaping up to be a landmark moment for Kanye, as the shows are expected to draw a combined audience of 74,000 people and set a new attendance benchmark for the venue.
That record was previously held by a Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev exhibition match, which took place in 2019.
As if the scale of the concerts was not already enough to generate buzz, new details suggest the events could be even more spectacular. According to a fresh report from Mexican journalist Gil Barrera, later shared by Kurrco, Kanye will not be taking the stage alone.
Based on Barrera’s information, Travis Scott, Peso Pluma and Fuerza Regida are all expected to appear as special guests. With both Peso Pluma and Fuerza Regida hailing from Mexico, their involvement would add an extra layer of excitement for the local crowd.
Ye and Travis Scott also share a long standing creative connection, particularly when it comes to live performances. Their collaborative history includes tracks such as “Piss On Your Grave,” “Watch,” “Wash Us In The Blood,” and several others that have become fan favorites.
Adding to the anticipation, the Mexico City dates could align with the release of Ye’s twelfth solo studio album, Bully. The project is currently slated to arrive on Friday, January 30. That said, given Kanye’s well documented history of missed release dates and the multiple setbacks surrounding this album, many fans remain cautious. Concerns were further fueled by uncertainty around physical pre orders from the Yeezy team. For now, January 30 remains the projected release date, with Bully rumored to feature 13 tracks, no guest appearances, and no use of A.I. technology.
Sharleen Spiteri joined BBC Radio 2’s The Sara Cox Breakfast Show ahead of Texas taking the stage to launch the main live music programme at Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling.
Checking in from rehearsals, the Texas frontwoman spoke about getting ready for the band’s opening performance at City Park. Radio 2’s annual flagship festival takes place there from 11 to 13 September 2026. "I’m match fit because I’ve had a couple of days’ rehearsals," Spiteri said. "We’re kicking the whole weekend off, which we’re very much looking forward to, so everybody’s got to get ready to party."
Before the live acts take over, Friday’s DJ Pre-Party gets the weekend started with Radio 2 favourites Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage, and Rylan behind the decks.
Jo Whiley helped set the mood with a special programme from Stirling’s Tolbooth venue. Working with BBC Introducing Scotland, the broadcast put the spotlight on Scotland’s emerging music scene through performances and conversations with Fright Years, Alice Faye, and James Emmanuel.
Fright Years, a four member band from Edinburgh, played "Never Been Wrong" and offered their take on Simple Minds’ "Waterfront." Glasgow singer and songwriter Alice Faye, the BBC Introducing in Scotland 2026 winner, paired "Some Brief Encounter" with a rendition of Lulu’s arrangement of "I Started a Joke." James Emmanuel, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Edinburgh, sang "Brothers & Sisters" before taking on Chaka Khan’s "I’m Every Woman."
"We’re all about celebrating BBC Introducing and all the music that’s come out of Scotland," Whiley told listeners. "It's about celebrating the local music scene and the incredibly important work that BBC Introducing does to support independent, up-and-coming artists."
Joining the conversation were Stephanie Cheape, presenter of BBC Introducing in Scotland, Tara McLoughlin, venue manager for Stirling Council, and student radio presenters representing the University of Stirling’s Air3 Radio.
Listeners can catch the complete interviews and live performances from the weekend’s programmes on BBC Sounds.
