Armenia’s government is once again drawing criticism for lavish spending on international pop stars, allocating $6 million for Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming concert in Yerevan—exactly the same amount previously earmarked for a canceled Snoop Dogg show.
Lopez is set to perform this Sunday at Yerevan’s Republican Stadium as part of her “Up All Night” tour, with ticket prices ranging from 25,000 to 180,000 drams ($65–$468). While the event was announced earlier this year, the government only confirmed its financial backing on Thursday, revealing a sizable $2.6 million performance fee for the 56-year-old singer—an amount that dwarfs typical Armenian cultural budgets.
The sum mirrors what was promised for Snoop Dogg’s ill-fated concert scheduled for September 23, 2023. That event was canceled just days after Azerbaijan’s September 19 military offensive in Artsakh, which forced the region’s entire Armenian population to flee. Despite the cancellation, the rapper’s team initially received around $3 million before returning the funds earlier this year, according to an Armenian official. The remainder was paid to the little-known local company Doping Space, which has also been hired to organize Lopez’s show.
The $6 million expenditure exceeds the annual budgets of many rural Armenian communities, fueling criticism that such spending is a frivolous attempt to polish the country’s image abroad while Armenians grapple with national security crises and displacement. Government representatives defended the allocation last year, arguing that high-profile concerts could boost Armenia’s international reputation and attract foreign visitors.
Funding for both events came from a Ministry of Education program intended to promote music and arts with a “national basis”—a designation many Armenians questioned in 2023, particularly given Snoop Dogg’s controversial background and lack of cultural ties to Armenia.
