Shakira “deeply saddened” after Brazillian worker dies constructing Copacana Beach stage
Shakira has issued a heartfelt statement after a Brazilian construction worker died while working on the stage for her upcoming show on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The worker, who was part of the local crew in Rio rather than being part of Shakira’s team, has since been named as 28-year-old Gabriel de Jesus Firmino.
Firmino died on April 26th while constructing the stage ahead of Shakira’s upcoming performance on May 2nd. The free concert is expected to be attended by two million people.
Now, in a statement shared with Far Out, Shakira honoured Firmino, writing, “I am deeply saddened for the family, friends and colleagues of Gabriel de Jesus Firmino, a local worker who lost his life yesterday at the site.”
The Colombian star continued, “My heart goes out to his family, and loved ones.”
Her statement comes after event organisers Todo Mundo no Rio previously confirmed news of Firmino’s tragic passing, sharing, “The event organisers confirm that an accident this Sunday afternoon (April 26th) tragically claimed the life of a professional who was working on assembling the structures for the show.”
Firmino died after being transported to the Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital after suffering crushing injuries to his legs in a lifting system, according to the Brazilian fire brigade.
Witness Antonio Marcos Ferreira dos Santos told AFP of the horrifying ordeal, “Out of nowhere, we saw people running, and when we looked, the structure was on the ground. People were saying that a man had gotten trapped underneath. People rushed over to pull him out.”
The Todo Mundo no Rio annual concert is a tradition that began in 2024, with Madonna and Lady Gaga previously headlining the huge event.
Following the date in Brazil, Shakira is set to embark on a North American arena tour throughout this summer. In September and October, she will then perform an 11-date residency in Madrid, Spain, at the custom-built Estadio Shakira, which has a capacity of 50,000.
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