Taylor Swift fan dies at her concert in Brazil; singer postpones show

RIO DE JANEIRO — A fan died and others fainted Friday night at Taylor Swift’s concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as temperatures hit record highs.

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Update 3:59 p.m. EST Nov. 18: Taylor Swift is postponing her Rio de Janeiro show Saturday after a fan died after her concert Friday night, according to The Associated Press.

“I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium. The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio,” Swift said in a post on her Instagram account, according to the AP. “The safety and well being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”

Original story: “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 said in a statement on her Instagram stories, according to CNN. “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.

“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 continued. “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.”

Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, was identified as the fan who died at Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The show’s organizer, Time for Fun, on Instagram, said that first responders attended to the woman after she had reported that she was not feeling good, the AP reported. She was taken to the first-aid center before she was transported to the hospital. She died about an hour later.

Benevides’ friends told local media that she got sick after the concert started, according to Reuters.

Fans complained that they were not allowed to take water into Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium during high temperatures in the area, the AP reported. The temperature in Rio during the day on Friday was 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit but it reportedly felt much hotter. Other fans fainted, according to The New York Times.

Videos from the concert showed Swift throwing a water bottle to a fan and having staff at the stadium get water for other fans, according to the Times.

“It was extremely hot. My hair got so wet from sweat as soon as I came in,” Elizabeth Morin, 26, said, according to the AP. “There was a point at which I had to check my breathing to make sure I wasn’t going to pass out.”

The circumstances behind the fan’s death are unclear, according to CNN.

Swift has a concert on Saturday and Sunday in Rio de Janeiro before she heads to Sao Paulo, her website says, according to CNN. The company, Time For Fun, said they will be adding staff at Swift’s Saturday concert and will provide free water. They will also allow fans to bring in water and food, according to the Times.

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