Before kicking off her new world tour, Lady Gaga sets a new record: with 2.5 million people in attendance, her show on Brazil’ Copacabana Beach is reportedly the biggest independent concert by a female artist ever.
On Copacabana Beach, Lady Gaga put on a sensational show on par with the one Madonna did on the same beach in May 2024. “Tonight we are making history. Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga said to a roaring crowd as she goes on stage around 10 pm on Saturday, May 3, kicking off the concert with the song Bloody Mary, which previously went viral through TikTok videos related to the Netflix series Wednesday.
During the song, Gaga was dressed in red, the skirt under which she stands is a giant cage full of professional dancers who, at a certain point, invade the stage as does Lady Gaga herself.
Lady Gaga (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation/Getty Images
Between various wigs and long, puffed sleeves, sheath dresses and corsets, Lady Gaga sang her most famous songs, from Poker Face to Alejandro, from Born this way to Bad Romance to Shallow, captivating the audience of Rio de Janeiro for more than two hours, thanks to dance, music, art and special effects, including a cascade of fireworks exploded on the water, a few steps from the stage, for the grand finale.
“Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show—the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil,” Gaga wrote on Instagram on May 4. “The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you. An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history.”