Swift moved Saturday’s concert in Rio de Janeiro to Monday in the wake of a fan’s death during an extreme heat wave before Friday’s performance as the heat index soared to record levels near 140 degrees.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – A Taylor Swift fan reportedly died before an opening concert on Friday in Brazil, where concertgoers endured high heat, leading to the postponement of Saturday’s concert in Rio de Janeiro.
The country’s National Institute of Meteorology warned of high humidity and temperatures that sent the feels-like readings well into the 100s.
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Fans of US singer Taylor Swift queue outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium before Swift’s concert, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2023. American superstar Taylor Swift on Saturday was mourning the death of a 23-year-old fan during her first show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death occurred as much of central and southeastern Brazil has been suffering an unusually oppressive springtime heat wave. (Photo by Tercio TEIXEIRA / AFP) (Photo by TERCIO TEIXEIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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A fan of US singer Taylor Swift cools off with a hose as others queue outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium before Swift’s concert, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2023. American superstar Taylor Swift on Saturday was mourning the death of a 23-year-old fan during her first show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death occurred as much of central and southeastern Brazil has been suffering an unusually oppressive springtime heat wave. (Photo by Tercio TEIXEIRA / AFP) (Photo by TERCIO TEIXEIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Fans of US singer Taylor Swift queue outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium before Swift’s concert, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2023. American superstar Taylor Swift on Saturday was mourning the death of a 23-year-old fan during her first show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death occurred as much of central and southeastern Brazil has been suffering an unusually oppressive springtime heat wave. (Photo by Tercio TEIXEIRA / AFP) (Photo by TERCIO TEIXEIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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A firefighter cools off fans of US singer Taylor Swift with a hose as they queue outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium before Swift’s concert, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2023. American superstar Taylor Swift on Saturday was mourning the death of a 23-year-old fan during her first show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death occurred as much of central and southeastern Brazil has been suffering an unusually oppressive springtime heat wave. (Photo by Tercio TEIXEIRA / AFP) (Photo by TERCIO TEIXEIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Fans of US singer Taylor Swift cool off as they queue outside the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium before Swift’s concert, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour”, amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2023. American superstar Taylor Swift on Saturday was mourning the death of a 23-year-old fan during her first show in Brazil before a crowd of 60,000. The death occurred as much of central and southeastern Brazil has been suffering an unusually oppressive springtime heat wave. (Photo by Tercio TEIXEIRA / AFP) (Photo by TERCIO TEIXEIRA/AFP via Getty Images)
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“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,” Swift wrote on Instagram following her concert. “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.”
The heat index, which combines the effects of heat and humidity, reached staggering levels near 140 degrees in Rio Friday and Saturday, according to Reuters, and the National Institute of Meteorology reported similar conditions had occurred for much of the week.
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“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,” Swift added. “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.”
The continued heat and Friday’s death lead to Swift postponing her show on Saturday.
“The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio,” Swift wrote on Instagram about two hours before the show Saturday. “The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to, and always will, come first.”
Saturday’s show has been rescheduled for Monday. Swift’s tour continues in São Paulo from Friday through Sunday.
A concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was postponed by weather earlier this month as severe storms made outdoor activities unsafe.
Storms produced plenty of gusty winds and lightning, causing authorities to issue weather alerts warning of the potential dangers.
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While the cause of the fan’s death has not been revealed, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced changes to events at Nilton Santos Stadium to prevent further illnesses related to the heat.
Among the changes were that water bottles were to be allowed into the venue during future shows, which is normally prohibited. An increase in health workers and ambulances, more water distribution points and an increase in efforts to keep fans out of the sun as long as possible are also set for future shows.
