Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue welcomes Taylor Swift with special projection
Rio de Janeiro is welcoming Taylor Swift with wide-open arms as the pop star continues the Latin American leg of her Ticketmaster-breaking Eras Tour.
Swift is scheduled to play three concerts in Rio this weekend, and three other shows in Sao Paulo from Nov. 24 to 26.
On Thursday, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said the city’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue will welcome the multi-Grammy-winning artist to Brazil with a special projection.
In a short clip that has since gone viral on social media, Paes had a message for fans of the “You Need to Calm Down” singer.
“How do you call Taylor Swift fans?” Paes is seen asking a staffer as he announces the projection.
“Just to tell … the Swifties,” he continues, “tonight, Christ the Redeemer will honor her presence. According to some, she is the Michael Jackson of modern times — for me, Madonna.”
“The oldest ones here might make different analogies, but we’re going to have Taylor Swift duly honored for her arrival to ‘Carioca’ territory,” the 54-year-old said, using the term used to refer to those who are born in the city.
“Welcome, Taylor Swift. And stay happy, Swifties,” he added.
The iconic statue, which has an arm span of 92 feet, stands 98 feet tall atop Corcovado Mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro’s majestic mountains and beaches.
Known to locals as simply “the Christ,” the statue — one of Brazil’s most recognized symbols — is visited by about 2 million tourists each year. Its monumental facade is often dressed up in colors as a way to highlight social causes.
A projection to welcome the record-breaking artist came after a group of Brazilian Swifties pushed for the idea in a social media campaign, local newspaper O Globo reported.
