Record heat in Brazil sees Taylor Swift concert postponed

Taylor Swift postponed an Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday due to record temperatures and concern for audience safety.

A 23-year-old fan died during her Friday (17 November) night show, according to a message posted on the singer’s Instagram.

“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 shared on social media.

“The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”

Fan dies during Taylor Swift concert

The cause of death for Ana Clara Benevides Machado, who sought medical attention at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium during Friday’s show, has not yet been announced.

The office of Rio’s public prosecutor opened a criminal investigation and said Benevides’ body was being examined.

However, fans and politicians have reacted to her death with outrage, speculating it was linked to extreme heat.

Rio and most of Brazil have seen record-breaking temperatures this week amid a dangerous and prolonged heat wave.

The daytime high in Rio on Friday was 39.1 degrees Celsius, but it felt much hotter.

Apparent temperature – a combination of temperature and humidity – hit 59C Friday morning in Rio, the highest ever recorded there.

Water banned from stadium despite record heat

Fans who attended the Friday show complained they were not allowed to take water into the stadium despite the stifling weather.

Elizabeth Morin, 26, who recently moved to Rio from Los Angeles, described “sauna-like” conditions.

“It was extremely hot. My hair got so wet from sweat as soon as I came in,” she said. “There was a point at which I had to check my breathing to make sure I wasn’t going to pass out.”

Morin said she drank plenty of water but saw “a good amount of people looking distressed” and others “yelling for water.”

She said she was able to get water from the sidelines of the area she was standing in, but that water was a lot harder to access from other parts of the stadium, “especially if you were concerned about losing your specific position.”

During the show, Swift paused her performance and asked from the stage for water to be brought to a group of people who had successfully caught the singer’s attention, according to Morin.

“They were holding up their phones saying ‘we need water,’” she recalled.

Thousands of fans had also waited hours in the sun before being allowed inside.

Free water to be made available at concerts

As temperatures continued to rise Saturday, federal authorities announced that free water would now be made available at concerts and other large events.

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 wrote on X that the “loss of a young woman’s life … is unacceptable” and demanded more staff and ambulances at future shows.

However, the decision was made anyway to postpone the Eras Tour concert on Saturday due to safety concerns.