Lady Gaga sets world record with 2.5 million fans at free Rio beach concert

Lady Gaga made music history after performing in front of a record-breaking crowd of 2.5 million fans at a free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Copacabana Beach, turning into the most attended live show by a female artist in history.

The staggering turnout on Saturday night shattered the previous record set by Madonna, who drew 1.6 million attendees to the same beach just last year.

According to Rio city officials, Gaga’s performance was part of a broader campaign to revive the city’s post-pandemic economy and boost tourism, with expectations that the event could generate up to USD 100 million in local revenue.

The concert marked Lady Gaga’s return to Brazil for the first time since 2012, as part of the global promotional tour for her eighth studio album Mayhem.

Thousands of fans — affectionately known as “Little Monsters” — began lining up as early as dawn, eager to secure spots on the sand. To manage the massive crowds, local authorities deployed a sweeping security operation that included 5,000 officers, metal detectors, facial recognition cameras, and drones.