Natalia Ulanova's "Voice of the Nomad" music festival will keep its location in Açagaz.
The "Voice of the Nomads" festival, originally launched in Kyrgyzstan, has evolved significantly since its inception. Held at the Asagad Steppe Nomad tourist complex in Buryatia, Russia since 2016, the festival has become a platform for cultural exchange, fostering connections between nomadic and non-nomadic communities.
Nataliya Ulanova, the art director and ideological inspirer of the festival, expressed satisfaction with the organization of the event. This year, the festival attracted 24 thousand spectators, including discounted ones, for the final open-air. The event featured a variety of music genres, including hip-hop, indie-folk, folk-electronica, indie-pop, electronic arrangement, rock, and shoegaze.
Over the years, the festival has transcended ethnic music to become a multi-genre festival, featuring 47 musicians and groups from various countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Mongolia, and the USA. The most resonant performers at the festival were Feduk, Haski, Delfin, and Maxim, who are headliners from the first echelon of the Russian scene.
The festival has increasingly emphasized environmental and social themes, reflecting the nomads’ deep ties to nature and their ongoing challenges in a modernizing world. For future editions, organizers plan to further internationalize the festival by inviting artists from other nomadic cultures across the globe. There are also ambitions to incorporate digital and virtual reality experiences to engage younger and global audiences more effectively. Sustainability remains a key focus, with plans to minimize the festival’s ecological footprint and promote awareness of nomadic environmental stewardship.
The tourist complex requires significant modernization due to its initial design not being for a multi-thousand attendance. As a result, infrastructure investments were made for the festival, including the construction of a bridge, the purchase of a transformer substation, and the installation of power line poles. The number of entry control points will be increased for the next festival, and the transportation scheme was changed this year, with the creation of a technical road for organizers' vehicles and private car parking managed by sixty volunteers and three traffic police crews.
Despite the growth and changes, the name "Voice of the Nomads" and the multi-genre format will remain unchanged. The festival loves the Asagad Steppe Nomad tourist complex where it has been held since 2016 and has no plans to change its venue for the 2026 event. The directions of the "Moon" and "Star" stages may be changed to avoid sound interference, ensuring the best possible experience for attendees.
Viewers will not be able to buy tickets with the "Pushkin Card" for the next festival. However, preparations for the next edition have already begun, with the aim of continuing to honor and innovate within nomadic traditions while adapting to global cultural trends and technological advances.
The "Voice of the Nomads" festival has evolved to include various music genres, such as hip-hop, indie-folk, folk-electronica, indie-pop, electronic arrangement, rock, and shoegaze, making it a multi-genre entertainment event.
For future editions, organizers plan to further internationalize the festival, inviting artists from other nomadic cultures and incorporating digital and virtual reality experiences to engage younger and global audiences.
