1.6 Million Fans Swarm To Free Madonna Concert In Rio De Janeiro

Madonna‘s free concert on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, drew 1.6 million fans to its famed Copacabana Beach. The concert marked the final show of Madonna’s Celebration Tour, which started in October. 

The 65-year-old pop singer’s last concert included her classic hits like “Like A Virgin” and “Hung Up.” Fans packed the area and pushed against barriers, cheering on. House parties in apartments and hotels started to join the festivities while others watched from boats in the bay.

“Here we are in the most beautiful place in the world,” Madonna said on stage. “This place is magic.”

According to Madonna’s official website, the Brazil show was the biggest of her four-decade career. It ten-fold exceeded the record attendance of 130,000 fans at her 1987 show at Paris’ Parc dex Sceaux. 

Key moments from the show included Brazilian artists Anitta and Pabllo Vittar joining the singer on stage. During Madonna’s performance of “Live to Tell,” she paid tribute to “all the bright lights” lost to AIDS, with black-and-white photos of those who lost their lives flashing behind her.

Madonna was given warm welcomes from fans and companies like Heineken, who put out ads that said, “Welcome Queen!” Fans crowded around the Copacabana Palace Hotel, where Madonna stayed, to see the star. 

The show started 50 minutes later, at 10:37 p.m. local time. Madonna has had issues with scheduling in the past. In January, two fans filed a lawsuit against the singer for starting her New York concert two hours late. Regardless, the free Brazil concert received a positive reception.