Madonna delights Rio with massive free concert on Copacabana beach
Pop idol Madonna gave it all in Rio de Janeiro as she looked back on her four-decade career in a historic show before throngs of joyful fans jammed onto Brazil's famed Copacabana beach on Saturday night.
Madonna performed to a record-breaking 1.6 MILLION people in Rio de Janeiro in the last epic concert of the pop superstar's Celebration world tour on Rio's Copacabana beach.
The Vogue hitmaker took to Instagram yesterday with a clip from the history-making show and captioned it: 'Blame it on Rio. Thank You, Brazil!!'
Such was the interest in the pop legend, who rolled back the years by appearing in trademark risque outfits including a catsuit and negligee, that the city was brought to a standstill by the crowds.
The 65-year-old's free concert saw the beach transformed into a gigantic dancefloor. There was a carnival atmosphere, reportedly without incident, as crowds descended in their droves to party to her iconic tracks, including Holiday and Like A Virgin.
The Rio turnout eclipsed her previous record attendance of 130,000 fans at Paris's Parc des Sceaux in 1987 by more than ten-fold.
She also had her usual controversial moments, including passionately grabbing and kissing a female dancer. The star looked the part in a fitted catsuit paired with reflective sunglasses and matching gloves.
In one costume change, she wore a red and black lace negligee and in a tribute to the football-mad country, slipped into a Brazil football shirt to the delight of the vast audience.
Plenty were dressed up for the occasion with everything from homemade cone bras like the star's iconic Jean Paul Gaultier bustier, blonde wigs and leather corsets.
Shortly before the performance, Visit Rio, the city's tourism board, had alerted fans of the concert on social media, posting: 'It's time to get ready! On May 4, the Queen of Pop arrives in Rio de Janeiro for a free and historic show at Copacabana Beach.
'Madonna ends The Celebration Tour here in the Marvelous City, celebrating 40 years of her career with a show that promises to be her biggest.'
Madonna’s free show at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach broke the record for biggest standalone concert for any artist in history, male or female, with 1.6 million people. pic.twitter.com/6sDUxdjDpM
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 5, 2024
A Madonna cometeu crimes imperdoáveis.
— Clara Assaf (@claraassaf) May 5, 2024
Sobreviveu a um brutal episódio de violência sexual recém-chegada em NY. Ousou persistir em uma indústria extremamente machista. Caminhou ao lado de pessoas que eram consideradas a escória da sociedade americana. Enfrentou o conservadorismo… pic.twitter.com/O5FPW2jS7n