'We're making history': Lady Gaga dazzles huge crowd in spectacular free 'biggest-ever' show at Copacabana Beach
4 May 2025, 09:35 | Updated: 4 May 2025, 10:14
Lady Gaga performed her 'biggest-ever' show at the Copacabana beachfront venue in Brazil - playing to millions of fans.
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Around 2.1 million people attended the show including around 500,000 tourists who travelled to the iconic Rio de Janeiro beachfront.
In a huge win for Gaga's adoring fans, the concert was free as it was funded by the city in a bid to boost its struggling economy.
According to estimates, the hit show will have provided a 600 million reais (roughy £79.9m) boost to the country's economy.
The two-hour show was held on Saturday night and marked the first time Gaga had performed in Brazil since 2012 - after she cancelled an appearance at the Rock in Rio festival in 2017 due to health issues.
The Telephone singer launched her show with an operatic edition of her 2011 track Bloody Mary, before moving into her most recent track Abracadabra from her seventh studio album, Mayhem, released in March.
'Making history'
Before launching into her hit Poker Face, the singer spoke to her fans in English and through a Portuguese translator, telling them: "Brazil! I missed you. I missed you so much."
As the Just Dance singer became emotional, she told the crowd she was "honoured" to be playing there.
Lady Gaga attracted a similar crowd to Madonna in May last year - who performed at the same beachfront venue.
Addressing the huge crowd, Gaga continued: "Tonight we're making history, but no one makes history alone. Without all of you, the incredible people of Brazil, I wouldn't have this moment. Thank you for making history with me.
"The people of Brazil are the reason I get to shine today. But of all the things I can thank you for, the one I most am grateful for is this: that you waited for me. You waited more than 10 years for me."
She said she had been delayed returning as she was "healing" and "getting stronger".
In 2017 and 2018, the pop icon cancelled many of her shows due to her fibromyalgia condition - which causes pain and fatigue.
The huge free shows are expected to continue each year until at least 2028.
The shows will take place in May as this is thought to be the "low season" for the economy, says Rio's government.
The 2.1million crowd meant that strong security measures needed to be in place - including 3,300 military and 1,500 police officers, along with 400 military firefighters.
Dedicated Gaga fans swarmed the Brazilian city, with many arriving at the beach early on Saturday to secure good positions on the beach before the show started at 9.45pm.
Many fans also gathered outside the Copacabana Palace hotel where the pop diva was staying.
Ana Lara Folador, a fan who attended the show, told Sky it was a "dream come true" and that the pop icon had "really shaped a part of my personality, as a person and an artist".
Another fan, Ingrid Serrano, made the journey from Colombia to Brazil to watch her favourite artist on stage, confessing herself to be "a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life".
She praised Gaga for her "total freedom of expression - being who one wants without shame".
