Taylor Swift
She postponed her concert – due to heat and fan deaths
Taylor Swift performs in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
© imago/MediaPunch
After a fan died at her first Brazil concert, Taylor Swift has postponed her second. Stricter measures now apply.
Pop icon Taylor Swift (33) has postponed her Saturday concert (November 18th) in Rio de Janeiro due to the ongoing heat and the tragic death of a fan. In her Instagram story she published a handwritten text in which she announced her decision “from the locker room at the stadium”. “The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow artists and crew members must and will always be my top priority,” Swift writes.
Young fan died in stadium the day before
At her first of three concerts planned in Rio last Friday (November 17th), a young woman, only 23 years old, according to consistent media reports, died. According to the Daily Mail, the late Swift fan suffered a cardiac arrest before the concert even started. The possible cause of the accident was the sweltering heat that was said to have prevailed during the concert at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos: the perceived temperature was supposedly up to 60 degrees and fans were dehydrated.
A heat warning had previously been declared for the whole of Brazil. Due to the continued rising temperatures, the US superstar finally decided to cancel her concert the following day. Swift reacted to the news of the deceased woman in shock in a past Instagram story: “I want to express that I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.” The 33-year-old said she was devastated.
Enhanced security measures at the next concert
The singer has postponed the concert planned for Saturday to next Monday (November 20th), as can be seen from the Tour dates are available on their website. At today’s second Rio concert (November 19th) the concert organizer will be according to “E! News” also distribute free water and set up several medical stations and mobile intensive care units. They want to counteract the high temperatures.
Why such measures are not standard and were not taken at the first concert is something that local politicians must also address. Brazil’s Minister of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), Flávio Dino, announced in a statement that he would adopt immediate measures – “in response to reports about […] “The lack of availability of water for consumers at concerts amid the intense heat wave hitting Brazil,” the media reported.