During a Rio de Janeiro concert on November 19, Taylor Swift debuted her grief-themed song “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” after the death of a fan two days earlier.
23-year-old fan Ana Clara Benevides Machado died on November 17 of what many believe to be heat exhaustion. Before the show, she was rushed from the Nilton Santos stadium in Rio de Janeiro to a first-aid center and then to the hospital. Many other fans reportedly passed out.
Upon hearing the news, Taylor Swift took to Instagram Stories to express her sorrow. “I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” she wrote.
In response to Machado’s death and continued sweltering heat, free water bottles were distributed during the November 19 show.
Taylor Swift debuted “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” at Rio show
November 19 marked the live debut of Swift’s “Bigger Than the Whole Sky.” Without an introduction, the superstar simply sat at her piano and performed the moving ballad. As the song progressed, Swift noticeably fought back tears.
The song could not be more appropriate, as it explores grief and the loss of a loved one.
Full video of Taylor performing Biggen Than The Whole Sky (right in front of my face like wow) #RioTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/q5rNYixG1z
— mari nation (@littletookind) November 20, 2023
“Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time,” sang Swift.
Fans were immediately shaken with emotion, and many took to Twitter/X to express their own grief and applaud Swift for such a powerful performance.
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“I can’t stop thinking about this—it was so beautiful & so so so special. Taylor is so strong and I can’t even BEGIN to imagine what she’s going through or what she’s feeling right now,” wrote a fan.
A fan chimed in, “This broke my heart to watch.”
i can’t stop thinking about this—it was so beautiful & so so so special. taylor is so strong and i can’t even BEGIN to imagine what she’s going through or what she’s feeling right now. she felt she would be to emotional to ever speak about this to us, which is why i’m so glad she…
— Aadhavi (@Classicparktv) November 20, 2023
this broke my heart to watch. i hope she knows how much we love and support her throughout everything 🩵🥺
— alli 🪩 (taylor’s version) (@cleantvlover) November 20, 2023
“You can hear her trying not to break into tears. To see her so affected by this only shows how truly she loves her fans if that wasn’t already obvious,” said SassyGalBeauty.
A fourth user noted how “she spoke a lot less during this set. And, it really seems as if she is willing herself to make it through, and probably self-talking or trying hard to sing this song without FEELING anything.”
Another admitted, “This song makes me sob every single time.”
You can hear her trying not to break into tears. To see her so affected by this only shows how truly she loves her fans if that wasn't already obvious
— 🪞🪞🩵POLIN_LOVER💛🪞🪞 (@Bohosoul97) November 20, 2023
I feel like, she spoke a lot less during this set. And, it really seems as if she is willing herself to make it through, and probably self-talking or trying hard to sing this song without FEELING anything.
— SassyGalBeauty (@Sassygalshops) November 20, 2023
this song makes me sob every single time
— charlotte 🍉🍉 (@charisamadwomen) November 20, 2023
“Bigger Than the Whole Sky” is lifted from Swift’s Grammy-nominated album, Midnights.
