On the iconic Copacabana beach in Rio, Lady Gaga made a spectacular comeback in front of more than two million fans. With a grandiose set, a personal message, and a heartfelt tribute to the LGBTQ+ community, the pop diva made history.
A theatrical entrance for an extraordinary show
A giant chessboard, a flowing scarlet gown several meters long, and a vertical cage hiding her dancers: this is how Lady Gaga opened her concert Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro. With “Bloody Mary,” followed by “Abracadabra” — one of the standout tracks from her latest album Mayhem, released in March — the star quickly captivated the crowd.
The 39-year-old singer, who arrived about twenty minutes late, wasted no time between surprises: midway through the song, she removed the red dress to reveal an outfit in Brazil’s national colors — green, blue, and yellow.
A wave of ‘Little Monsters’ on Copacabana
The free concert, announced weeks in advance, drew fans from across the country. “I skipped several days of university to be here. Lady Gaga means everything to me, I’ve been a fan since 2008,” said Walter Segundo, a 23-year-old student who traveled from São Luis, nearly 3,000 kilometers away.
The Rio city hall estimated that 2.1 million people attended the show, surpassing the previous record set by Madonna (1.6 million). While some experts have questioned the numbers, the scale of the event is undeniable.
Highly anticipated, Gaga had been scheduled to perform at the Rock in Rio festival in 2017, but canceled last minute for health reasons. On Saturday, she didn’t shy away from the topic: “You waited for me, you must have wondered why it took so long for me to come back. But I was healing, regaining my strength (…) Now I’m ready, and I’m going to give you everything,” she said, visibly emotional.
In a moving moment, she sat at the piano to perform Shallow, the ballad from the film A Star Is Born, closing with: “The last time I came here, we were friends — now, we’re family.”
Bombing plot foiled
Over 5,000 security agents were deployed for the event, supported by drones and facial recognition cameras. Authorities reported that they had thwarted a bomb plot and arrested two suspects.
Beyond security, local officials are counting on the concert’s economic impact. They hope to generate over $100 million and plan to make this kind of massive concert a regular event in May. Mayor Eduardo Paes has already mentioned inviting the Irish rock band U2 in the future.
A powerful tribute to the LGBTQ+ community
Before performing Born This Way, Lady Gaga gave a special shoutout to “the LGBTQ community of Brazil,” where she has a particularly strong fanbase. Among them was Alan Jones, a 30-year-old hairdresser who traveled from the state of Santa Catarina: “It’s thanks to this song that I started accepting myself for who I am.” A message that holds deep meaning in a country where LGBTQ+ rights remain fragile.