A Taylor Swift fan dies at a concert in Brazil
Taylor Swift performs on stage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos on Friday, November 17, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro.
(Budda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
- The show was part of Swifts’ hugely popular Eras tour.
- Temperatures near the stadium rose to 99 degrees Friday afternoon.
- Thousands of fans usually wait outside for hours before one of Taylor Swift’s concerts, which are held in huge outdoor stadiums.
A fan died after falling ill due to extreme heat during a concert by famous singer Taylor Swift on Friday night in Brazil.
The woman, identified as 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado, collapsed during the ceremony at the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Associated Press. While the cause of death was not immediately known, temperatures near the stadium rose to 99 degrees Friday afternoon and dropped into the low 90s by 8 p.m.
The show, part of Swift’s hugely popular The Eras Tour, began at around 7:30 p.m., and fans typically wait outside for hours before one of the shows, which are held in massive outdoor stadiums.
“It was so hot. My hair was so wet from sweat as soon as I walked in,” Elizabeth Morin, 26, a concert attendee, told the AP. “There was a point where I had to check my breathing to make sure I wouldn’t “I lose consciousness.”
Morin said the stadium felt like a sauna.
Daniele Menin, a friend who attended the concert with Machado, reportedly told online news site G1 that her friend fainted when Swift performed her second song of the night, “Cruel Summer.”
People at the concert complained that they were not allowed to bring water into the stadium, and Machado’s death prompted a petition to “make water mandatory at events” at concerts. It received 150,000 signatures and was met with a quick response from the Brazilian government.
Justice Minister Flavio Dino posted on social media Saturday morning that the rules were in place Being changed To immediately mandate that water bottles be allowed for personal use at concerts, and that companies producing shows during heat exposure must provide free drinking water at accessible “water islands.”
Most of Brazil and neighboring Paraguay have been hit by an intense heatwave over the past week.
“I won’t be able to talk about this from the stage because I feel too sad to even try to talk about it,” Swift wrote on social media after Friday’s show. “I want to say right now that I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.”
A week ago, Swift postponed a concert in Argentina due to fears of bad weather, including storms and rain.
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