Lady Gaga made history with her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 3.
According to concert promoter Live Nation, the show drew an estimated 2.5 million fans to the legendary beach, setting a new record for the highest-attended concert in history by a female artist. The record was previously held by Madonna, who attracted 1.6 million fans to her free show there in 2024.
Gaga did a shortened version of the show as a rehearsal on May 2, which was also open to the public. The full concert on Saturday night was a version of the one she performed during her stadium shows in Mexico, except she added Brazil-themed costumes and hung a Brazilian flag from the balcony of the opera house that served as the backdrop of the production.
On the balcony, she read a letter to fans that said, in part, “It’s an immense honor to be here tonight. My heart is overflowing. I feel deeply grateful. Today we are making history, but no one makes history alone. Without all of you, the incredible people from Brazil, I wouldn’t have this moment. Thank you for making history with me.”
Noting that it’d been 12 years since she performed in Brazil, Gaga added, “You waited more than 10 years for me … tonight I’m giving you everything I’ve got … let’s make it worth the long wait. I loved you 10 years ago and I love you tonight. Thank you, Brazil. I love you forever.”
Gaga’s set list included hits like “Paparazzi,” “Born This Way,” “Shallow” and “Bad Romance,” and plenty of songs from her album Mayhem, including “Die With a Smile,” “Abracadabra” and “Disease.”
Next, Gaga brings her Mayhem Ball tour to Singapore.
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