Lady Gaga dazzled a record-setting audience during her complimentary concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Saturday (May 3).
“Tonight, we are making history,” she declared to the huge crowd. “Thank you for joining me in this historic moment.”
The concert kicked off at approximately 10 p.m. local time, with the 39-year-old pop sensation starting with her 2011 hit “Bloody Mary.” She proceeded with a dynamic set that included beloved tracks such as “Poker Face” and “Alejandro,” along with songs from her recently Billboard 200-charting album, Mayhem.
According to concert organizers, around 2.1 million attendees were present at the free event at Copacabana Beach, based on reports from Associated Press. This record now stands as the highest turnout for a concert by a female artist ever, surpassing Madonna’s 2024 concert at the same location, which attracted 1.6 million attendees.
The largest concert crowd ever remains attributed to Rod Stewart, who drew 3.5 million fans for a New Year’s Eve concert at Copacabana Beach in 1994, as reported by Guinness World Records.
Gaga’s performance attracted more than 1 million Brazilian fans and around 500,000 Little Monsters who traveled for the occasion, contributing more than $100,000 to Rio’s economy, as noted by NPR reports. The city’s tourism department has announced that free concerts will continue to take place at Copacabana Beach at least through 2028.
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The Rio concert was Gaga’s first show in Brazil since 2012.
“I’ve missed you all so much,” the star told the audience during a soundcheck the night prior to the concert, according to Rolling Stone. “I know this isn’t the first show here; it feels like this is a rehearsal for the real performance.”
In 2017, Gaga canceled her Rock in Rio concert due to “significant physical pain,” later revealing she had been hospitalized at the time.
Post-performance, Gaga expressed her appreciation on Instagram for the vast audience that showed her support in Rio.
“Nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming feelings I experienced during last night’s show — the profound pride and joy of singing for the wonderful people of Brazil,” the singer wrote alongside images and clips from the concert. “The view of the crowd during my opening numbers left me breathless. Your spirit shines so brightly, your culture is incredibly vibrant and special; I hope you realize how grateful I am to have shared this historic moment with everyone.”
On Sunday (May 4), police in Brazil announced that two suspects were arrested for an alleged plan to set off explosives at the concert, according to the AP. Authorities apprehended the individuals just hours ahead of the event, but chose not to disclose information about the threat in order to “avoid panic” and “misrepresentation of information.”
“Those involved were recruiting individuals, including minors, to execute coordinated attacks using makeshift explosives and Molotov cocktails,” police reportedly stated.
A representative for Gaga stated on Sunday that the pop star and her team “became aware of this alleged threat through media reports this morning. In the lead-up to and during the concert, there were no known safety threats, nor any communication from law enforcement or authorities to Lady Gaga about any potential dangers.”
The statement continued, “Her team collaborated closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert, and all involved were assured of the safety protocols in place.”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
