- Singer Lady Gaga is providing a complimentary performance at the Copacabana.
After dealing with illness, Lady Gaga regrettably had to pull out of her 2017 showcase at the Rock in Rio music festival in Rio de Janeiro. Now, she's making up for lost time as she gear up for a free concert on Copacabana beach in May. This event falls under the "Todo Mundo no Rio" series, which showcases global icons in the coastal metropolis. Lady Gaga, best known for her hits "Poker Face" and "Shallow," expressed her eagerness to perform for her fans following the cancellation due to health issues, revealing her excitement in an Instagram post. "After years of yearning to entertain you all, I was devastated when I had to withdraw due to hospitalization. Now, I am back, feeling great, and putting in every effort to deliver a performance you'll never forget," she said.
As revealed by Rio's mayor Eduardo Paes on the news platform X, the concert is open and free for the public. This isn't the first time Rio has witnessed such an extravaganza. In 2023, pop legend Madonna graced Copacabana with her presence, attracting a staggering 1.6 million people for her closing concert of the "The Celebration Tour." This record-breaking event brought in an additional R$293 million (around 54 million Euros) in tourism revenue, as per the city administration.
Madonna's historic performance contributed to a surge in various sectors. Data from the Rio de Janeiro prefecture's survey estimates that the single concert singlehandedly yielded R$293.4 million, a whopping 30 times the initial R$10 million investment. Moreover, this figure led to a 20% rise in taxes compared to the same period in 2023. Furthermore, the buzz surrounding the event had a positive impact on hotel bookings and airline flights, creating what experts called the "Madonna effect." This wave affected Spotify listeners in Brazil, with a 26% increase in Brazilian fans. Concurrently, Google searches for Madonna hit their highest levels in the country since 2012[4]. Lady Gaga's eagerly anticipated concert in Rio rings a bell of anticipation and is expected to have similar, if not more significant, economic impacts.
The tickets for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach are free, making it an "other" opportunity for local residents and tourists alike to attend. Despite the cancellation of her previous appearance due to health issues in 2017, Lady Gaga is now gaga about the chance to perform again, expressing her delight on Instagram. Additionally, as Madonna's 2023 concert demonstrated, the economic impact of such events can be substantial, with possible boosts in tourism revenue, taxes, and even consumer behavior, such as an increase in Spotify listeners for the performer.
