Taylor Swift cancels Rio de Janeiro gig after fan dies in extreme heat
“The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”
Taylor Swift was due to perform in Rio on Saturday (Doug Peters/PA)
A girl using a fan waits among other people before the Taylor Swift concert, following the death of a fan due to the heat during the first day concert, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 18, 2023. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares
Taylor Swift has said her Saturday night show in Rio de Janeiro has been postponed due to “extreme temperatures”.
It comes after concert organisers, Time4Fun, said in a statement to Instagram that 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado, who turned up at Swift’s Friday night show in Rio, had been taken to hospital, where she died an hour later.
Swift, 33, posted to her Instagram story and said: “I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium.
“The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio.
“The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”
The cause of death for the young woman who sought medical attention at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium during Friday’s show has not yet been announced.
Brazil is currently experiencing scorching temperatures and videos from Friday’s performance show Swift asking staff to pass water bottles to fans.
A girl using a fan waits among other people before the Taylor Swift concert, following the death of a fan due to the heat during the first day concert, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, November 18, 2023. REUTERS/Pilar Olivares
Read more
Media outlets have reported that fans were not allowed to take water into the stadium despite soaring temperatures.
Two concert goers interviewed by the Associated Press said they witnessed people feeling unwell from the heat during the show.
Swift had shared her condolences with the friends and family of the woman who died on Saturday.
We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity.
In a note shared to Instagram, Swift said: “I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show.
“I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this.
“There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”
She added: “I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.
“I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.
“This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”
Swift is currently on the South American leg of The Eras Tour, which has further dates in Sao Paulo as well as Rio.
