Аңдатпа
The relevance of this study stems from the need for a theoretical understanding of the pathways of national cultural development in the context of intensive globalization and digital transformation, where the dominance of Western standards in popular music makes it particularly pressing to identify the mechanisms that enable Kazakhstani popular music to preserve a recognizable identity - primarily the role of the academic vocal tradition and the principle of institutional continuity. The purpose of the article is to provide a systemic analysis of the mechanisms of continuity in Kazakhstani’s pop music. The objectives include periodizing the stages of development of the national music scene, identifying the stabilizing role of academic education, and conducting a comparative analysis with the musical cultures of the Turkic region. Methods.The study employs a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach. Methods of musicology and cultural studies are combined with intonational-stylistic and performance analysis, as well as with the comparative method, which is applied to identify the developmental patterns of the musical cultures of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan in comparison with the experience of Kazakhstan. Results. The paradigmatic shift in musicology from ethnocentrism toward the analysis of pop music as a synthetic phenomenon is substantiated. Three stages in the genre’s development are identified: the formation of a school (1960s-1980s), institutionalization (1990s-2010s), and the phase of global expansion. It is demonstrated that the academic vocal tradition provided a solid professional foundation for subsequent generations of performers. The legacy of past masters is systematized as a foundation for training new generations of artists. Discussion. The interpretation of the results shows that the Kazakhstani model of development, unlike certain spontaneous processes in the Turkic world, is based on conscious continuity. The translation of local codes into universal aesthetic categories (Neo-Ethno-Pop, Classical Crossover) is explained by the organic symbiosis of folk melos and technology. The limitations of the study are associated with the dynamism of the digital environment, which necessitates further monitoring of new cross-genre forms. Conclusions. The study confirms that continuity is ensured not by the preservation of archaic forms, but by the actualization of tradition through contemporary sound design. The practical significance of the work lies in the creation of a fundamental resource for higher creative educational institutions. The article is valuable for the international scholarly community as an example of research into the mechanisms of cultural diplomacy and the representation of state identity through popular art.