PHOTOS: Madonna makes waves in Brazil with free concert gathering 1.6 million people
Anca Ulea
·3-min read
PHOTOS: Madonna makes waves in Brazil with free concert gathering 1.6 million people
Talk about a grand finale.
Madonna transformed Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro into a sea of her fans on Saturday for the closing show of her latest world tour, The Celebration Tour, which has performed in 80 locations since October.
The final concert, announced last March, was free for everyone, and drew the largest crowd of the pop superstar’s four-decade career. Riotur, Rio City Hall’s tourism agency, estimated that 1.6 million people flocked to the beach to get a glimpse of Madonna.
That would make the show more than 10 times bigger than Madonna’s previous record attendance of 130,000 at Paris’ Parc des Sceaux in 1987.
It was a spectacular end to the singer’s first stage retrospective, which featured massive hits of her career – including “Like a Prayer,” “Ray of Light,” “Hung Up,” and “Holiday” – as well as elaborate costumes and choreography.
The show began with her 1998 hit “Nothing Really Matters” that drew huge cheers from the tightly-packed crowd on the beach.
Those lucky enough to have balconies overlooking the beachfront held house parties to watch the show. Helicopters and drones flew overhead and motorboats and sailboats filled the bay, which meant the audience spanned land, air and sea.
At the start of the show, the 65-year-old told the crowd: “Here we are in the most beautiful place in the world. This place is magic.”
Catch upon some of the photos that captured the atmosphere and festivities that took Rio by storm this weekend.
Madonna didn't have a monopoly on the outstanding costumes. Fans dressed to the nines for her free beach show in Rio. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
A Madonna fan dances while waiting for Madonna's show to begin, wearing a costume inspired by her video for "Material Girl." - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
A sea of people flooded the sand on Copacabana Beach. An estimated 1.6 million people attended the show. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Madonna came out in a black kimono by Eyob Yohannes, worn with lace gloves and a halo-style headpiece by House of Malakai. - Silvia Izquierdo/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
The 65-year-old "Queen of Pop" with her dancers onstage. - Silvia Izquierdo/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Madonna performs in the final show of her Celebration Tour, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. - Silvia Izquierdo/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
From apartment buildings and hotels, to the sand and the sea, fans gathered across the elements to catch Madonna's free show. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Madonna, left, wearing a mask, was joined by Brazilian singer Pabllo Vittar onstage for The Celebration Tour, in Rio de Janeiro. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Earlier in the day, fans gathered on the beach in costumes almost as elaborate as Madonna's own. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
A Madonna fan wearing a bustier inspired by the Queen of Pop's pioneering style in the 1980s. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
The vibes were immaculate on Copacabana beach ahead of Madonna's show - with fans dressed up and having a good time. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
A fan wearing Madonna sunglasses on Copacabana beach ahead of her show on Saturday. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Fans waiting for the show to start. - Bruna Prado/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
Madonna performs in the final show of her The Celebration Tour, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. - Silvia Izquierdo/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved
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