Cliff Notes – Lady Gaga makes history after beating Madonna with world record-breaking concert
- Lady Gaga’s free concert in Brazil attracted 2.1 million attendees, surpassing Madonna’s previous record of 1.6 million.
- The event, held at Copacabana beach, involved extensive security measures and is expected to boost the local economy by $100 million.
Lady Gaga ‘makes history’ after beating Madonna with world record-breaking concert
Lady Gaga made global music history after 2.1 million people attended her free concert in Brazil, smashing Madonna’s record.
The pop star, 39, appeared at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night for her tour promoting her latest album, Mayhem, over a decade after she last performed in the Latin American country.
The stunt was subject to a mammoth security operation involving over 5,000 police officers and military personnel, a legion of drones and metal detectors as the Little Monsters queued up for hours to gain access to the event of the decade.
City officials have confirmed the concert was attended by millions, including over 500,000 tourists with hopes of boosting the local economy by $100m (£75m) to the local economy.
The Bad Romance hitmaker -real name Stefani Germanotta – gave an emotional speech to the roaring crowd.
She said: ‘Tonight we’re making history, but no one makes history alone. Without all of you, the incredible people of Brazil, I wouldn’t have this moment. Thank you for making history with me.
The Poker Face hitmaker addressed the crowd with a moving speech.
City official confirmed she broke Madonna’s previously held record
‘The people of Brazil are the reason I get to shine today. But of all the things I can thank you for, the one I am most grateful for is this: that you waited for me. You waited more than 10 years for me. Brazil, I’m ready. I’m going to give it my all.’
She was forced to cancel her Brazil concert in 2017 due to her fibromyalgia condition, which causes pain and fatigue.
During her triumphant return, her setlist included a range from her discography, from her 2011 hit Bloody Mary to her recent single Abracadabra.
The event took place during her Mayhem tour (Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation)
It’s not the first time the city has pulled off such an impressive event. Last year, Madonna held the record for the biggest standalone concert in history with 1.6m people arriving at the same location for a night to remember.
But Lady Gaga has now picked up the baton, including the largest solo concert for a female artist, with a concert expected to take place at the iconic venue annually until 2028.
So her newly received crown could be in danger.
The local economy could hugely benefit from this much-needed boost
The Like A Virgin singer drew in a crowd of 1.6 million last year.
Fans are celebrating the milestone achievement for the music artist, dubbing her ‘legendary’ and ‘mother’.
‘She’s unstoppable,’ agetawaykara shared.
‘That’s insanely LEGENDARY!!!’ brian harrison added.
‘And this is exactly why Lady Gaga is THE popstar of our generation,’ carolinalor posted.
‘Absolutely insane,’ dais_ed echoed.
Fans are celebrating the milestone as a victory
The Joker 2 star’s Mayhem tour goes to Singapore next before heading across the US and arriving in the UK and the rest of Europe this autumn, ending in Australia in December.
It has not all been smooth sailing, however.
In April, the singer appeared at Coachella, where she faced several technical difficulties that almost derailed her entire show.
She battled against a microphone that kept cutting out and a crackling headset, but fans agreed that she managed to ‘style it out’ and still put on a memorable gig.