2024 was a landmark year for international music in Brazil, with a schedule full of memorable shows that attracted crowds and transformed some of the artists into “almost Brazilians”, worthy of citizenship.
From large festivals such as Rock in Rio 2024 and Lollapalooza Brasil 2024 to more intimate presentations, some artists stood out, such as Madonna, who took 1.6 million people to Copacabana beach and Bruno Mars, who made 15 performances in five different cities.
This year, the rapper Post Malone and the singer Chris Brown will still come to Brazil, both next Saturday (21). The voice of “Rockstar” will perform at the Villa Mix Festival, while the R&B artist will perform at Allianz Parque, in São Paulo.
Remember 10 artists who visited Brazil in 2024
Madonna
The Queen of Pop performed a free show on Copacabana beach in May this year to close “The Celebration Tour”. In addition to singing her biggest hits, Madonna made a point of paying homage to some Brazilian personalities who died as a result of AIDS.
Later, Anita was chosen to participate in the presentation of “Vogue” in addition to Pablo Vittar and a group of young rhythmists from samba schools who also participated in the show.
Bruno Mars
The Hawaiian artist spent more than a month in Brazil between October and November, where he performed 15 performances in five different cities. In addition to the shows — which featured catchphrases in Portuguese and special appearances — the artist also attended a bar in Vila Madalena, a bohemian region of São Paulo, celebrated his birthday and much more.
Upon leaving, Bruninho — as he is affectionately called by fans — also paid homage to Brazil by sharing a funk song, which makes references to the country and uses catchphrases in Portuguese. Currently, the song has become a hit on TikTok around the world, where more than 1.7 million users have already danced to a section of the song.
Iron Maiden
In December, the heavy metal band performed two performances in São Paulo, the last of which marked the farewell to drummer Nicko McBrain, 72, who leaves the band after 42 years.
On their official profile, the group published a series of photos from the presentation. “Thank you, São Paulo! You really made this a night we will never forget “, says the text.
Mariah Carey
In September, the artist performed in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. At Rock in Rio, she took to the stage wearing a shiny dress that printed the colors and symbols of Brazil and moved the audience by singing some of her biggest hits from the 1990s and 2000s.
In São Paulo, his performance was sold out and there was an unprecedented encore with a special song for Brazil: “I Want To Know What Love Is”. The same song was used to close the repertoire of the show in Rio.
Paul McCartney
In October, the former Beatle made his 11th visit to the country and demonstrated his joy at returning to Brazil. In total, he performed three shows: two in São Paulo and one in Florianópolis, totaling 39 performances in Brazilian territory.
McCartney performed shows lasting around three hours and with more than 30 songs in his setlist, which included hits from the Beatles, Wings and his solo career. To the delight of his fans, the artist also performs several interactions with the public in Portuguese. In SP, he took a risk by saying “what’s up, São Paulo?” and “the father is on”.
Cyndi Lauper
At age 71, the voice of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” rose to the Rock in Rio World Stage for the first time in her career, on a day when only women will perform at the festival.
With many compliments on her beauty and disposition, Cyndi Lauper even joked a few times that she didn’t understand anything the crowd was shouting, with the exception of her own name — despite this, she thanked her in Portuguese: “Thank you”.
Katy Perry
Another attraction that attended the Rio festival was Katy Perry, who released her most recent album, “143”, on the same day. In addition to posing with the Brazilian flag, the artist also distributed pizza to those waiting at the door of the hotel where she stayed.
There was still room on the agenda to visit Christ the Redeemer, receive the key to Dani Calabresa’s house and receive a giant ID card.
The Weeknd
In September, the artist held a unique performance in São Paulo, in a show that was broadcast around the world. A few days before the concert, The Weeknd released his new studio album, titled “Hurry Up Tomorrow” the album promises to conclude the trilogy that began with the two previously released albums.
LinkinPark
In November, the rock band returned to Brazil for the tenth time, and this time, with new members in its lineup, such as Emily Armstrong as the new vocalist and Colin Brittain as the drummer.
In addition to the shows that took place in São Paulo, the group released their new album “From Zero”. The album features 11 songs, including “Over Each Other”, “The Emptiness Machine” and “Heavy Is the Crown”, released this year.
The last time the band played on Brazilian soil was in May 2017 two months before the Chester’s death, original vocalist. The first performance took place in 2004. In 2025, the group already has a date to return to Brazil.
Will Smith
Actor and singer Will Smith also showed all his talent during Rock in Rio 2024. In just under 30 minutes, he sang a series of songs. Right at the beginning, when singing “Bad Boys” the artist improvised a rap in Portuguese, showing himself happy to be at the festival
In a true celebration, the show ended with the stage full of people who helped the performance happen, including the DJ, who dressed like Will Smith’s character in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.
This content was originally published in Retrospective: 10 international artists who visited Brazil in 2024 on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
