Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with a free concert for more than 2 million fans

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career.

“Tonight, we're making history. (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd.

The Mother Monster, as she is known, kicked off the show at around 22:10 p.m. local time with her 2011 song “Bloody Mary.” Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand.

Concert organizers said 2.1 million people attended the show.

Lady Gaga performed her classic hits, including “Poker Face” and “Alejandro,” switching between an array of dresses including one with the colors of the Brazilian flag.

Some fans - many of them young - arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot, armed with snacks and drinks. They spent the day under a blazing sun, while others perched in trees, determined to get a panoramic view.

“Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes, a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019. “It's surreal to be here.”

Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year.

The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June.

“It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars, restaurants, and retail, generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima, the city’s secretary of economic development, in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month.

Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (some $106 million) into Rio’s economy.

Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028.

Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday. The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since, as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012. Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song “LoveGame” and gave instructions for Saturday in a video. A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out.

While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio, the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors.

More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show, more than double the initial forecast, according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport, Rio’s City Hall said in a statement on Friday.

Ingrid Serrano, a 30-year-old engineer, made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show.

“I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano, who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years.

For her, the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression - being who one wants without shame.”

Rio officials have a history of organizing huge concerts on Copacabana Beach. Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year, while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994. According to Guinness World Records, that was the biggest free rock concert in history.

To ensure fans could hear the songs, sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach.

Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3,300 military and 1,500 police officers, and 400 military firefighters.

Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017, when the artist canceled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues.

Ricardo Filho, who has been a fan since childhood, said it was worth the wait.

“She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said, as chants of “Gaga, I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Fans cheer as they watch Lady Gaga free concert on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans cheer as they watch Lady Gaga free concert on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans cheer as they watch Lady Gaga free concert on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans wait for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans cheer as they wait for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans pack the shore of Copacabana beach to watch Lady Gaga's free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga, center, performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

A fan waits for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Lady Gaga, top center, performs during her free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

A fan strikes a pose as she waits for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

A fan cheers while waiting for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

A fan cheers while waiting for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

A fan dons a punk mechanical face mask while waiting for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans cheer as they wait for the start of Lady Gaga's free concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, May 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans watch Lady Gaga rehearse a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans cheer as they watch Lady Gaga rehearse a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Fans watch Lady Gaga rehearse a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert, on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Lady Gaga takes part in a rehearsal a day ahead of her free concert on Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — You’ve done something special when Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner known for his acrobatic catches, calls what you just did “probably the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen.”

That was the praise Hunter heaped on the Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell after the right fielder made three homer-robbing catches, the last a spectacular leaping grab while crashing into the seats near the right-field foul pole in the ninth inning, in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.

“I’ve never seen three home run robberies in one game, and I’ve never seen a guy on the third one fall into the stands, catch the ball and keep his feet in like he’s a wide receiver,” said the 50-year-old Hunter, a special assistant to the general manager who watched the game from the bench. “I was jumping up and down. I almost passed out.”

Adell, who struggled on defense for several years before transforming into a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, leaped high above the yellow line on the wall in straight-way right field to deny Cal Raleigh of a solo homer in the first inning, and made a nearly identical catch to against Josh Naylor in the eighth.

J.P. Crawford then led off the ninth with a drive toward the right-field corner, where Adell raced toward the ball, leaped to glove it, flipped over the low wall and fell into the first row of seats before holding his glove up to present the catch, which was upheld after a replay review.

“After the first one, I was pretty fired up,” Adell said. “When I got to the second one, which looked identical to the first, I thought, ‘Wow, my routes are on point tonight.’ The third one was just grit. Top of the ninth, you have to get it done. It was crazy.

“You just get there, then it’s decision-making. The ball was hit high enough to where I could get there. I watched it (into my glove), fell over and ended up in somebody’s lap. I don’t know who it was, but it was a softer landing than I expected. The fans were as fired up as me.”

According to Inside Edge, Adell has 10 home run robberies since 2020, tied with Kyle Tucker of the Dodgers for the most in the big leagues. The outfielders with the most home run robberies in the entire 2025 season were Jacob Young of the Nationals and Fernando Tatis of the Padres. Both had four.

This was believed to be the first time in baseball history a player has robbed three homers in one game.

“It was like a movie scene,” Hunter said about Adell’s third catch. “It was like the music was playing, then he caught the ball, then he went down and we didn’t see him anymore. The music paused, he came up and said, ‘Yeah!’ I started cheering and almost blacked out.”

Hunter, the former Minnesota Twins, Angels and Detroit Tigers star, has worked extensively with Adell on defense during the past few years.

“His impact has been huge,” Adell said. “It’s mental when you’re out there — it’s a mindset of going to get the baseball, being aggressive. Early, I was caught in between on some plays, and sometimes that happens.

“When you err on the side of being aggressive and trying to make the plays, you’d be surprised at how many plays you make. That’s the mindset Torii had all those years, winning all those Gold Gloves.”

P MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) jumps up to catch a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor (12) during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe (14) and left fielder Jo Adell (7) embrace at the end of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Los Angeles Angels Jo Adell (7) is greeted by teammates at the end of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) catches a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Los Angeles Angels left fielder Jo Adell (7) catches a ball hit by Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)