Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. A 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan died at the singer’s Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro Friday night, according to a statement from
the show’s organizers in Brazil. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
3:55 PM – Sunday, November 19, 2023
Popstar Taylor Swift postponed her show in Brazil after an extreme heat wave following the death of a fan the previous night.
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Swift announced on Instagram that she had to postpone her Eras Tour show in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday due the extreme heat after the death of a 23-year-old fan during her Friday night performance.
“I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium. The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio,” the singer said in a handwritten note on Instagram. “The safety and well being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”
Ana Clara Benevides Machado, the young lady who sought medical attention at the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium on Friday night, passed away, but her cause of death is still unknown.
The public prosecutor’s office in Rio declared that Benevides’ body was being examined and launched a criminal investigation.
Benevides had taken her first-ever flight from the country’s center-west region to Rio to see her favorite musician and also started a WhatsApp group with her family, sharing pictures and videos with them along the way, relatives told the press.
Her death shocked and outraged politicians and fans, who speculated that it was related to intense heat.
Despite the oppressive heat, concertgoers complained they were not permitted to bring water into the stadium.
Federal authorities declared that free water would now be provided at concerts and other major events on Saturday, as the temperature rose further and there were still two shows left.
While waiting to enter the stadium, Benevides’ friend who attended the concert with her also reported to local outlets that they were both given water.
Time4Fun, the show’s organizer, posted on Instagram that Benevides was seen by paramedics after she complained of feeling ill. According to the Brazilian live entertainment company’s statement, she was taken to a first-aid center and later to a hospital, where she passed away an hour later.
Swift previously declared that she had a “shattered heart” in a post that was posted on social media on Saturday morning following the passing of the fan.
Reportedly, the temperature hit 138 Fahrenheit Friday morning in Rio, the highest index ever recorded there.
Justice Minister Flávio Dino said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that going forward in Brazil, “water bottles for personal use, in suitable material, will be allowed” at concerts and festivals and that show producers must provide free and easily accessible drinking water.
Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes also took to X and stated that the “loss of a young woman’s life is unacceptable” and demanded more brigades and ambulances at future shows.
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