In a tragic turn of events, a 23-year-old fan, Ana Clara Benevides Machado, died during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night. The news has cast a somber shadow over the concert series, with Swift expressing her devastation over the loss.
Swift took to Instagram to share her grief, stating, “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.” She added, “There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”
The concert’s organizer, Time4Fun, revealed that Machado felt unwell during the event. She was immediately attended to by a team of firefighters and paramedics and was transferred to the medical center at Nilton Santos Stadium. Despite emergency medical efforts at Salgado Filho Hospital, Machado sadly passed away. Time4Fun extended their sincere condolences to Machado’s family and friends.
Swift’s “Eras Tour” performance in Rio on Friday was part of a series of concerts in the city, with additional shows planned for the weekend and in São Paulo starting November 24. Videos on social media showed Swift acknowledging the need for water among the crowd, even throwing a water bottle at an attendee at one point.
The incident occurred amidst extreme weather conditions in Brazil, with Rio under a red-colored heat alert. According to The Weather Channel, the forecast was 96 degrees Fahrenheit with 64% humidity for Saturday. Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes commented on the tragic incident, calling the loss of a young woman’s life ‘unacceptable.
In response, authorities are investigating the circumstances of Machado’s death. Mayor Paes stated that the municipality would demand additional measures from the show’s production company, including new water distribution points, more emergency services, and an advanced entrance time for the upcoming shows.
The future of Swift’s scheduled concerts in Rio remains uncertain, with no announcement yet on whether they will be rescheduled due to weather concerns. Swift, overwhelmed by the incident, expressed her inability to speak about the tragedy on stage and conveyed her deep sense of loss to the family and friends of the deceased.