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Taylor Swift reacts to death of young fan at Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro

"I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this," Swift said on Instagram Stories

Senior Culture Editor

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Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos on November 17, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro (Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Estadio Olimpico Nilton Santos on November 17, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro (Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

On Friday night, a fan died during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro and in a letter posted to her Instagram Stories, Swift expressed feeling devastated over the loss of the 23-year-old, saying she was "so incredibly beautiful and far too young."

According to AP News, the cause of death for Ana Clara Benevides Machado has not yet been announced, but other attendees had been complaining that they were not allowed to take water into the stadium despite soaring temperatures. The office of Rio’s public prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation, and authorities are saying that free water will be made available at all future shows.

“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 wrote in her statement. "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.”

According to the show's organizer, Time4Fun, paramedics attended to the fan after she reported feeling unwell, taking her to a first-aid center and then to a nearby hospital, where she died an hour later. 

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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