Pop icon Madonna’s free Rio concert breaks attendance record

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.– Pop icon Madonna once again made history by transforming Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro into the world’s largest discotheque with a concert that had over 1.6 million people dancing.

While it was not the most attended concert in history – that honor belongs to Rod Stewart who gathered 3.5 million people on New Year’s Eve 1994 on the same Copacabana beach – it was the largest of Madonna’s career.

For the free concert by the 65-year-old artist, the beach was transformed into a giant dance floor. There was a carnival atmosphere as crowds descended en masse to party to her iconic songs, including Holiday, Like a Virgin, Vogue, Express Yourself, Like a Prayer, Music, and Hung Up.

The audience in Rio was more than ten times her previous attendance record of 130,000 fans at Parc des Sceaux in Paris in 1987.

“Here we are, Rio, the most beautiful place in the world!” greeted the diva – in her fourth concert in Brazil – who brought tears of emotion to the audience, which was expected to reach 1.5 million.

“Holiday” served as a reminder of her beginnings, when she arrived in New York with $35 in her pocket, but “with a dream.”

Blame it on Rio

With dozens of costume changes, spectacular lights, and many giant screens along the beach, Madonna demonstrated her infinite capacity for innovation.

The star wore a tight catsuit combined with reflective sunglasses and matching gloves. In a costume change, she wore a red and black lace robe and, in a tribute to the country passionate about football, she put on a Brazil soccer jersey that unleashed collective madness.

During the show, special guests such as Diplo, Anitta, Pabllo Vittar and Bob the Drag Queen joined her on stage.

The concert had its emotional moments when the…