Large crowds are attending a free Lady Gaga concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.
The Brazilian authorities say they expect 1.6 million people to attend the event.
The city is paying for the concert in an attempt to revitalise Rio’s economy. They expect it to bring in $100m (Ksh13 billion) to the local economy.
Saturday’s performance is part of a promotional tour for Lady Gaga’s eighth album, Mayhem, whose songs include Abracadabra and Die With a Smile.
Some fans – known as Gaga’s “Little Monsters” – began queuing early in the morning and waited in long lines to gain access to the beach.
A massive security operation is in place, with 5,000 police officers on duty and attendees having to pass through metal detectors. The authorities are also using drones and facial recognition cameras to help police the event.
Lady Gaga is not the first person to perform a free concert in Rio. Madonna gave a concert on Copacabana Beach in May 2024, which the city also paid for.
Many people travelled from all across the country to see the concert.
One man, 28-year-old Luan Messias, said he spent all night on a bus from Itanhaem in neighbouring Sao Paulo state.
“I can’t wait for her to sing Abracadabra, it’s great to dance to, like her early stuff,” he said.
Alisha Duarte, 22, told AFP news agency she started queuing at 0740 in the morning. “Lady Gaga is worth it! It’s going to get super crowded, but we’ll survive,” she said.
Another fan, Paulo Oliveira, explained why people were so excited about the concert. She “tells us that we can be who we are, that we can be different and that being different is cool,” he told Reuters.
It’s going to be an “unforgettable show”, concert attendee Lai Borges told Reuters. “It’s going to be emotional and I’m going to cry a lot,” she said.