Taylor Swift delivered an emotional tribute to Ana Clara Benevides, who tragically passed away from ‘cardiac arrest due to dehydration’ at the Eras Tour stop in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.
While seemingly paying her respects to her late fan, 23, the chart‑topping global superstar, 33, performed her gut-wrenching ballad, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, about grieving a premature loss, as the show’s second surprise song.
As she pushed through an emotional few days, which also included the fatal stabbing of a 25-year-old Swiftie, named Gabriel Milhomem Santos, and death of superfan Ally Anderson, following a five-year battle with cancer, the 12-time Grammy winner got visibly choked up while mourning the recent tragedies in her community.
‘Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time,’ Swift sang, prompting attendees to sob from their seats. ‘I’m never gonna meet / What could’ve been, would’ve been / What should’ve been you / What could’ve been, would’ve been you.’
The Amsterdam actress’ voice quivered as she attempted to get through singing the lyrics: ‘Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?’
Heartfelt: Taylor Swift delivered an emotional tribute to Ana Clara Benevides, who tragically passed away from ‘cardiac arrest due to dehydration’ at the Eras Tour stop in Rio de Janeiro on Friday
Devastating: On Friday, Ana Clara Benevides, 23, fainted in the front row and was given CPR by doctors at the scene but failed to revive her
Other emotional verses included: ‘No words appear before me in the aftermath/ Salt streams out my eyes and into my ears/ Every single thing I touch becomes sick with sadness.’
‘Taylor Swift did a beautiful job honoring all the Swifties taken too soon,’ one fan tweeted, while another wrote that the performance was a ‘yet beautiful moment.’
‘I feel like we are all going to remember this one tonight. Whether it be live in Brazil or anywhere in the world,’ the second fan explained.
A third tweeted: ‘I already have immense respect for @taylorswift13 but after tonight’s surprise song, it has tripled. That must have been so hard for her to perform, for the original meaning and why she chose to play it tonight.’
In response to a TikTok video, uploaded by a fan under the username @tswift_22, Swifties applauded the performance that they perceived to be ‘for Ana.’
‘She played it for the girl who died, I’m gonna cry,’ one wrote.
Another speculated: ‘She played her heart out on that piano, you can tell she was doing it all for Ana.’
Others pointed out how Swift ‘was crying’ as she sang and you could ‘hear’ Swift’s raw emotion as she grieved for her fan.
Emotional: While seemingly paying her respects to her late fan, 23, the chart‑topping global superstar, 33, performed her gut-wrenching ballad, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, about grieving a premature loss, as the show’s second surprise song
Mourning: As she pushed through an emotional few days, which also included the fatal stabbing of a 25-year-old Swiftie, named Gabriel Milhomem Santos, and death of superfan Ally Anderson , following a five-year battle with cancer, the 12-time Grammy winner got visibly choked up while mourning the recent tragedies in her community
‘Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time,’ Swift sang, prompting attendees to sob from their seats. ‘I’m never gonna meet / What could’ve been, would’ve been / What should’ve been you / What could’ve been, would’ve been you’
Not a dry eye in the house: The Amsterdam actress’ voice quivered as she attempted to get through singing the lyrics: ‘Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?’
On X (previously known as Twitter, one fan commented: ‘I can feel her hurt, the impact of what happened. Her voice… her emotion.’
On Friday, Benevides fainted in the front row and was given CPR by doctors at the scene but failed to revive her.
She was transported to a hospital, where she suffered a second cardiac arrest and died.
Earlier during the show, Swift, who had to postpone Saturday’s show due to sweltering temperatures, expressed gratitude to all her attendees for braving the record-breaking heat and rain to support her.
‘How lucky do you have to be to have 65,000 people dance in the pouring rain with you?’ she asked the crowd. ‘I’ve never gotten to bring a tour to Brazil before and you’ve been so supportive to me ever since the beginning of my career.’
Swift continued: ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to see your faces tonight you have no idea.’
‘Taylor Swift did a beautiful job honoring all the Swifties taken too soon,’ one fan tweeted
Another wrote: ‘Are we all okay?!??’
‘That was such a sad yet beautiful moment,’ one wrote. ‘I feel like we are all going to remember this one tonight. Whether it be live in Brazil or anywhere in the world’
Grieving: Swifties rushed to social media to express their emotional reaction to her surprise song choice
‘Singing Bigger Than The Whole Sky was a beautiful way to honor Ana and we can know it by hearing Taylor’s voice,’ another fan wrote
Another praised the choice, pointing out Swift’s thoughtfulness is ‘why’ she is the ‘queen’ of their ‘hearts’
‘I already have immense respect for @taylorswift13 but after tonight’s surprise song, it has tripled. That must have been so hard for her to perform, for the original meaning and why she chose to play it tonight,’ another fan stated
!['I knew she was going to do it but [three sobbing emojis], she's amazing,' another tweeted with the hashtag #RIPAnaBenevides](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/20/05/78008215-0-_I_knew_she_was_going_to_do_it_but_three_sobbing_emojis_she_s_am-a-62_1700459325097.jpg)
‘I knew she was going to do it but [three sobbing emojis], she’s amazing,’ another tweeted with the hashtag #RIPAnaBenevides
‘I had to isolate to sob,’ another admitted
Later on during the singer’s set, the crowd erupted after ‘Champagne Problems’ as Swift teared up mouthing ‘I love you,’ according to social media footage.
After performing her hit, Champagne Problems on the piano, she looked emotional and teared up as the audience erupted in applause.
In response to the loud clapping and cheers, she sweetly mouthed ‘I love you’ to concertgoers.
Under a video of the moment, one fan observed Swift had ‘cried’ and was clearly ’emotionally heartbroken but’ trying ‘to to give the crowd her best.’
Another marveled at Swift’s ability to get ‘through this weekend.’
A third wrote: ‘She’s trying so hard not to breakdown.’
Her second show, which marks her first since Benevides’ death, comes as Brazil is experiencing an unprecedented heatwave and fans were reportedly not allowed to bring water into the highly anticipated concert despite the sweltering temperatures.
After Swift’s performance on Friday, fans claimed that they had been banned from taking water into the venue, but this has not been verified.
Grateful: Earlier during the show, Swift, who had to postpone Saturday’s show due to sweltering temperatures, expressed gratitude to all her attendees for braving the record-breaking heat and rain to support her
‘How lucky do you have to be to have 65,000 people dance in the pouring rain with you?’ she asked the crowd. ‘I’ve never gotten to bring a tour to Brazil before and you’ve been so supportive to me ever since the beginning of my career’
Swift continued: ‘I love you so much and I’m so happy to see your faces tonight you have no idea’
Resilient: Swift performed through the rain for her 65,000 fans
‘I hope she knows how much we care. This weekend obviously has not been easy for her but I really hope she knows that we will stay,’ one fan wrote under Instagram footage of her performing
Another observed: ‘She cried, I cried. Seems emotionally heartbroken, but determined to give the crowd her best ❤️’
‘I can’t even imagine the emotions she’s been going through this weekend,’ a third marvele
In a handwritten note published on Instagram, Swift spoke of her shock over Benevides’ death.
‘I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with her shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by by this,’ she posted.
‘I’m not going to be able to speak about this from the stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.
‘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 the show to Brazil.’
Footage from her first concert in Brazil showed Swift pleading with stadium staff to give her fans water. At one point during the show, the singer brought the gig to a halt and threw a water bottle into the crowd.
Scary situation: On Friday, footage from the concert shows Swift pleading with stadium staff to give her fans water
‘I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with her shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by by this,’ she posted after learning of Benevides’ passing
One terrifying clip, shared on TikTok, appeared to show Swift struggling to breathe as she temperatures in the arena soared to more than 37C. In the 11-second clip, Swift can be seen hurriedly taking seven breaths before starting another of her hit songs.
‘There were people crying, people throwing tantrums, hoping it was all a lie, in short, it was terrible,’ said student Victor Guimaraes, who was waiting in line again on Sunday to watch the singer’s performance.
On Sunday, news broke that a second fan died in Rio de Janerio after being fatally stabbed on Saturday.
Santos was killed just hours after he attended the world-wide tour at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium in the Brazilian city.
The 25-year-old, who was wearing a ‘Swifitie’ friendship bracelet, was reportedly knifed to death as he rested on the famous Copacabana beach in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Tragic: On Sunday, news broke that a second fan, named Gabriel Milhomem Santos, died in Rio de Janerio after being fatally stabbed on Saturday
The Swift megafan had travelled to Rio from Belo Horizonte, where he was studying Aeronautic Engineering, to see the singer’s show.
He was with two female cousins when the group decided to stop by the city’s famous Copacabana beach to swim in the sea in the early hours of Sunday morning.
According to his cousins, Gabriel had dozed off on the sand when three robbers approached the group, and was stabbed when he suddenly woke up in the middle of the assault.
The robbers took the keys to the group’s hire care and two mobile phones, but two were later arrested by police.
Two of the robbers, Alan Ananias Calvacante and Anderson Henriques Brandão, had been released from custody hours earlier after being arrested for stealing 80 bars of chocolate.
A third man, Jonathan Batista Barbosa, reportedly with 10 other crimes on his record, is still on the run.
Swift has yet to comment on Gabriel’s death.
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