In honor of Women's History Month, Madonna once said she wanted to "rule the world," and it seemed that she had it locked in, given that she held the record for highest concert attendance for a female artist, and by a considerable margin.
But the pop star's record has officially been broken by Lady Gaga after the "Bad Romance" singer's concert at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach last weekend.
Though the performance started 25 minutes late, Lady Gaga came out on stage and the audience before her "took [her] breath away." The audience was expected to include a whopping 1.5 million attendees, but the artist instead came out to entertain more than 2.5 million people and broke the record of 1.6 million guests in the process.
The "Mother Monster" performed for two hours to her 2.5 million fans, putting on a show that was emotional for the fans and the artist alike.
Throughout the evening, Gaga's performance paid homage to Brazil, first with her green dress with blue and yellow stripes at the end of her song "Abracadabra," and followed by her backup dancers dressed in CBF jerseys during "How Bad Do U Want Me."
The fan favorite moment of the night, however, had to be during the song, "Alejandro," when she unfurled a Brazilian flag and asked an interpreter named Nicholas to deliver a message to the crowd.
"Tonight, we're making history. But no one makes history alone. Without you, the incredible people of Brazil, I wouldn't be living this moment."
"Thank you for making history with me. Brazilians are the reason I can shine. You're as vibrant and beautiful as the sun and moon rising over the ocean, right here on Copacabana Beach."
Lady Gaga later continued her thanks in a heartfelt Instagram post.
"Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show, the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil. The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away."
"Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you."
"An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history. I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world."
"I know I can’t, but I can say this: if you lose your way, you can find your way back if you believe in yourself and work hard. You can give yourself dignity by rehearsing your passion and your craft, pushing yourself to new heights. You can lift yourself up even if it takes some time."
"Thank you, Rio, for waiting for me to come back. Thank you, little monsters all over the world. I love you. I will never forget this moment. Paws up, little monsters. Obrigada. Love, Mother Monster."
Fans were grateful for Lady Gaga's impactful performance and message.
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@ladygaga/Instagram
@ladygaga/Instagram
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@ladygaga/Instagram
@ladygaga/Instagram
@ladygaga/Instagram
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Everyone was touched by Lady Gaga's performance and message, and it's hardly surprising that if someone were to break Madonna's record, it would be Lady Gaga.
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@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social