Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana beach quickly filled up on Saturday with excited Lady Gaga fans, hours before the American superstar took to the stage for a free mega-concert.

Some fans, affectionately known as Gaga's "little monsters," had been waiting in line since early morning.
As new fans arrived from nearby subway stations, they were surrounded by street vendors selling everything from paper fans to sarongs bearing the image of their idol. They waited in long lines to pass through metal detectors before gaining access to the beach. Local authorities deployed massive security forces for the concert, including 5,000 police officers, drones, and surveillance and facial recognition cameras. Authorities in Rio expected around 1.6 million people, which they said would bring $100 million to the local economy — nearly 30% more than Madonna's free concert last year.

The concert is part of the promotional tour for "Mayhem," Gaga's eighth album. The songs from it are huge hits on streaming platforms. Among them are "Abracadabra" and "Die With a Smile" — recorded with Bruno Mars, it earned Lady Gaga her 14th Grammy Award.
Lady Gaga has not toured Brazil since 2012. She was supposed to be the headliner at the Rock in Rio festival in 2017, but had to cancel her appearance due to health reasons. | BGNES, AFP