Taylor Swift ‘devastated’ as fan dies before Brazil concert
Swift made the announcement amid a dangerous heat wave in Rio de Janeiro
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taylor Swift was "devastated" after learning that a fan had died before her opening night concert in Brazil on Friday.
"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. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young," she wrote on Instagram following her Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro.
"I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil," she continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TAYLOR SWIFT HONORED ON CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE: 'WELCOME TO BRAZIL'
A Taylor Swift fan died before her opening night concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday. (Shanna Madison/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
A young fan named Ana Clara Benevides Machado died before the Swift concert amid sweltering heat conditions. The fan fainted at the stadium and later died, with the cause of death remaining unknown.
Taylor Swift ‘devastated’ as fan dies before Brazil concert. (Taylor Swift/Instagram)
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, additionally mourned the loss of the Swift fan and announced new measures that will be enforced at the Nilton Santos Stadium for her remaining concerts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The loss of a young woman's life yesterday at the show in Engenhão is unacceptable. Obviously, we are still finding out more details about the circumstances of what happened," the mayor began on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"In any case, I have already ordered the municipality's Executive Chief of Operations to demand action with the production of the show."
Swift stopped her concert to pass out water due to sweltering conditions in Brazil. Fans are seen chanting, "Water" in a video posted online.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TAYLOR SWIFT POSTPONES ARGENTINA CONCERT AFTER TRAVIS KELCE ARRIVES
Taylor Swift honored with Christ the Redeemer hologram. (Getty Images)
"There's people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back," she said as she pointed to a floor section of the crowd. "So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens. Can I get a signal that you know where they are?"
The tragic events unfolded amid a dangerous heat wave that swept across Rio de Janeiro.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Most Brazilian states face "great danger" from the heat, according to the National Institute of Meteorology. The institution issued a red alert for the center-west, southeast and parts of the north warning of "a high probability of major damage and accidents, with risks to physical integrity or even human life."
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The heat index — a combination of temperature and humidity — hit 58.5 degrees Celsius (137 Fahrenheit) earlier this week, the highest index ever recorded there.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.