Raissa Santos

Brazil is no longer devastated—Lady Gaga drew over two million people to a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

On Saturday morning, the shore of Copacabana Beach was already packed with thousands of people securing a spot close to the stage for Gaga’s concert later that night. Fans from all over the country traveled for hours—some even days—for the opportunity to see the Mother Monster live on stage. Victoria Sanches, 16, traveled eight hours and arrived at lunchtime. “I went as close to the stage as I could. I was lucky and had a screen in front of me. When Gaga went on the platform, I could see her without the projectors.”

With a 25-minute delay, Lady Gaga performed in front of a vibrant crowd estimated at 2.1 million people, surpassing Madonna’s attendance of 1.6 million, also at Copacabana, in 2024. With this performance, Gaga became the female artist with the highest concert attendance. “Tonight, we’re making history. But no one makes history alone.” The crowd knew all the lyrics, singing Abracadabra and other hits at the top of their lungs.

Throughout the concert, Gaga shared several tributes with the fans—from outfits in the colors of the Brazilian flag, to a CBF jersey, and heartfelt messages of love. “Without you, the incredible people of Brazil, I wouldn’t be living this moment.” Standing on a high structure on the stage, Lady Gaga rolled out a Brazilian flag and shared an emotional speech with the fans. She invited Nicholas, an employee at the hotel where she was staying, to translate her message into Portuguese. Gaga thanked the fans for their love, support, and patience in waiting 13 years for her return to the country. “You were still there, you kept cheering me on, you kept asking for me to come back when I was ready. Brazil, I am ready!”

Gaga brought the crowd to ecstasy with the performance of Shallow—a first in the country—and Born This Way, which she dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community in Brazil. Closing the show with Bad Romance, the Mother Monster couldn’t hold back tears as fireworks burst in the sky and fans continued the song a cappella. “The concert was amazing and I had the best time. I cried multiple times during the show,” Sanches said.

The event attracted over 500,000 tourists from other parts of Brazil. In a report, Rio’s City Hall estimated an economic impact of 600 million reais (around 144 million CAD). 16 LED screens and 18 sound towers were set up along the shore to ensure attendees could hear the concert. Rio’s security operation included 3,300 military personnel, 1,500 police officers, and 400 firefighters.

Sanches had minor complaints about the event organization. She said there weren’t enough garbage cans, and because only one subway line was open, leaving the concert was tumultuous.

Vitor Melotto, a Brazilian who lives in Toronto, watched the concert from his living room in Canada. He bought tickets for the Mayhem Ball Tour and said watching the concert made him even more excited about it. “The concert was extremely beautiful! She took care of all the details like outfits and an apology for the devastating cancelation in 2017. I hope she brings the same care and energy here. You can see through Gagachella and the concert in Brazil that she is happy and I want her to be able to match that and bring more of a theatrical performance.”

Lady Gaga first visited Brazil in 2012 with the Born This Way Tour. In 2017, she canceled her Rock in Rio performance at the last minute due to extreme physical pain. Her tweet “Brazil I am devastated” became a huge meme in the country, and for years, fans have been waiting to say that she did come back.