Tragedy hit at Taylor Swift’s concert in Brazil on Friday (November 17), with new footage emerging showing just how hazardous the event unfolding last week was, amidst the death of a concertgoer.
A video displaying the songstress seemingly gasping for air was recently published on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Taylor was finishing up one of her songs while turning her back to the jam-packed crowd at the Estadio Olímpico Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
She was then filmed turning around to face the audience while looking as if she was trying to grasp for air and struggling to breathe.
A few clips emerged online following Taylor Swift's concert in Brazil which highlighted the extreme conditions that resulted in a fan's death
Image credits: Buda Mendes/Getty Images
The 12-second long video, which has now gone viral, concluded with the 33-year-old musician closing her eyes.
The footage of Taylor huffing and puffing during the show’s reportedly scorching hot condition worried many of her fans.
"OMG… this breaks my heart in so many levels. She’s so professional but watching her like this, my best wishes go to her,” one fan commented on the video.
Another X user wrote: “She is only 33 and in incredible physical shape."
“That she was struggling that much is really scary."
A separate individual chimed in: “Taylor was struggling to breathe as well!!”
23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides died after fainting during Taylor's Rio concert
Image credits: acbenevidesm
As the Grammy-award-winning artist had performed for hours in nearly 100°F heat (approximately 38°C), Taylor went on to inform her Swifties that she was postponing her Saturday concert because the “safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew had to and always will come first.”
Other disturbing footage from the concert shared online revealed fans chanting for water as Brazilian media had reported that the heat index inside the packed venue reached 60°C (140°F).
Terrified concertgoers posted a few clips on social media, with one showing Taylor pausing her “Evermore” segment, and reportedly telling the venue staff: "There are people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back."
Image credits: acbenevidesm
The Anti Hero hitmaker also asked: "So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens.
“Can I get a signal that you know where they are?"
Another clip circulating showed concertgoers shouting: "Water, water, water," to which the singer replied: "We don't need to chant, it's totally fine."
Taylor continued: "We just need to get water to them.
“Does anyone here have water?"
Taylor left a heartbreaking message as she didn't know someone had died right before she took to the stage
Image credits: taylorswift
A separate video of her The Last Great American Dynasty performance showed Taylor's team handing water bottles to thirsty fans during the concert.
The footage of Swifties and the singer struggling during the concert follows the tragic reports published by Brazilian newspaper Fohla De Sao Paolo that 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides died after fainting, before experiencing a cardiac arrest while she was at the stadium.
Her cousin, Estela Benevides, claimed that Ana was transported to the Salgado Filho Municipal Hospital, where she died of cardiorespiratory arrest.
Anna had passed away moments before Taylor had taken to the stage, as the concert began at around 7:30 PM local time, as per BBC News.
Ana's final moments had been recorded for social media, with various posts expressing her excitement at finally having the chance to see Taylor.
Image credits: thxaguito
The singer assisted a group of fans who asked for water during the concert
Taylor was seen struggling to breathe during the show
The Bad Blood singer had been reportedly unaware of Ana's death while she started her performance, but has since issued a statement on Instagram.
She wrote: "I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this.
“I can’t believe that I’m writing these words, but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show.
"There’s very little information I have, other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”
She went on to mention that she would not be talking about the death on stage that evening.
Taylor added: "I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.”
The music star revealed that it was the "last thing I thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil."
As a result of the hazardous temperature, Taylor shared her decision to postpone her Nov. 18 concert
Image credits: taylorswift
Ana’s father, Weiny Machado, has since spoken out, as he called for answers about the circumstances that led to his daughter's tragic death.
He told the Folha de São Paulo newspaper: "I lost my only daughter, a happy and intelligent girl.
“She was about to graduate in Psychology next April.
"I want it to be found out whether they were in fact prohibited from bringing water, whether there was negligence in providing assistance.”
The grieving dad added: "I know that the singer was handing out water to her fans, and that is absurd for an event of this size.
"Nothing will bring my daughter back, but I hope that, if negligence is confirmed, someone will be punished, so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else."
The concert organizer, T4F, wrote that "new free water distribution points" would be available during the later concerts
Image credits: t4f
The organizers behind the concert - Time For Fun (T4F) - put out their condolences in a statement that read: "Yesterday night, Ana Clara felt unwell and was assisted by a team of emergency workers and paramedics, being taken to a medical center at Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium so the first aid protocol could be applied.
"Given the situation, the medical team opted to transfer her to Salgado Filho Hospital.
“After nearly an hour of emergency assistance, she regrettably died.
"We send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ana Clara Benevides."
As a result of claims alleging that concertgoers were forbidden from bringing water into the stadium, T4F shared a second statement: "Given the forecast of an increase in the heat wave in the city of Rio de Janeiro, we inform you that we are reinforcing the special action plan carried out for the first day of the show, especially the provision of free water in the queues and at all accesses and entrances to the stadium and inside," as reported by Daily Mail.
Commentators shared their sympathy online
The organizer also wrote: "New free water distribution points will be available to the public during the event.
"Entry to the stadium with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food will also be permitted, with no limitation on items per person.
"We also emphasize that the prohibition of bottles of water entering stadiums is a requirement made by public bodies and that we do not sell drinks and food, this being the responsibility of the stadium administration."
T4F further stated that service staff would also be reinforced with 200 extra members.
The company wrote: "In addition, the medical care structure was reinforced, totaling 8 available medical stations, 8 ambulances, and 8 mobile ICUs.”
Taylor’s postponed concert is currently scheduled for Sunday (November 26) night in Rio, even though these plans could also reportedly change.
Other people were divided regarding the cause of Ana's tragic death
