Music, – Madonna has performed many concerts over her long career, but Saturday’s concert in Brazil may have been her grandest spectacle yet.
Queen of Pop hosted a free show on Copacabana beach and transformed it into an enormous dance floor packed with her fans – an event which attracted over 1.6 million attendees!
Madonna The Queen of Pop Delivers an Iconic Performance
Madonna marked her four decades at the top of pop charts with her biggest show yet, an unprecedented free event on Copacabana Beach that attracted upward of 1.5 million fans and marked the culmination of the Celebration Tour and first show back in Brazil since 2012.
Madonna made her return to cabaret with an eclectic performance combining music, dance and cabaret that showcased her versatility in terms of set design and costume changes. Flanked by giant screens along the shoreline, Madonna donned everything from miniskirts to religious symbols such as black capes with luminous crosses surrounding her in Like A Prayer; in tribute to those lost due to Aids she also performed Nothing Really Matters as powerful tribute.
Madonna also made use of Brazilian superstar guests during her Rio de Janeiro show, welcoming homegrown singer Anitta for the Instagrammable Vogue segment and drag queen Pabllo Vittar to provide energy during its NSFW ballroom runway portion. Watch the video for highlights from Madonna’s epic Rio show.
The Spectacular Finale of The Celebration Tour
Madonna’s spectacular global tour accumulated $225 million in ticket sales and cemented Madonna as the highest-grossing female solo touring artist ever, setting an astounding new record with this final show in Brazil that was free as an offering to her fans for celebrating four decades of music!
The Queen of Pop displayed her immense versatility by changing sets and costumes repeatedly during her performance, which included ballads like Human Nature and Crazy for You; Ray of Light; as well as performing classic hits from her early ’80s work such as Don’t Stop Believin’ or Era-Defining Anthems from her earlier albums.
Madonna was joined throughout the night by Brazilian performers including Anitta and Pabllo Vittar, while she paid her respects to those lost due to AIDS through “Like a Prayer,” with black-and-white photos flashing behind her wearing a dark cape and rosary. Madonna is in her 60s now; last year, she came close to dying; yet, during “Open Your Heart,” shadow boxing during Erotica or stunning above her fans with Ray of Light she still looked as youthful.
The 1.6 Million-Person Crowd Turns Copacabana Beach Into a Giant Dance Floor
Madonna recently wrapped up her critically-acclaimed Celebration Tour by hosting a free show on Copacabana Beach as a thank you for her fans around the globe. Madonna brought together music and dance with cabaret elements throughout a two-hour performance that featured numerous set changes, costume changes, spectacular lights displays and captivating backdrops to delight her global fan base.
The crowd was massive – estimated to be in excess of 1.6 million people – as its beaches became an endless dance floor teeming with Madonna fans. Additionally, several Brazilian artists, including Anitta and Pabllo Vittar from Brazil joined her on stage to add local flavor.
If you live in Brazil, Madonna’s finale concert can be seen on both TV Globo and online streaming service Globoplay. If neither are available to you, you can still use a VPN to stream it from within the U.S. Our guide outlines how. Please be aware that Billboard may receive commission from products purchased through affiliate links.
The Finale of The Celebration Tour Was a Night to Remember
Madonna made her final show a free event as a thank-you and tribute to fans, commemorating four decades as one of the world’s iconic artists. Ticket sales for her tour raked in over $225 million – making Madonna one of the highest-grossing female touring acts in history.
Thousands of Brazilians queued along Copacabana beach for hours to secure a prime viewing position as Madonna rocked out her greatest hits on stage, taking over blocks of its famed street in Copacabana. US DJ Diplo kicked off the event before Madonna brought Anitta, known for spreading Carioca funk around the world, onstage for their performance of “Vogue.”
At an emotional segment titled “Live to Tell,” the singer also paid his respects to those affected by AIDS; images of loved ones lost from this disease flashed across the screen. Additionally, this show included performances by druid-like dancers and would-be messiahs – an impressive array of entertainment all in itself!
