Crew Member Dies While Building Stage for Shakira Concert in Brazil

A crew member helping to assemble the stage for Shakira‘s upcoming concert in Brazil has died following a structural accident, organizers behind the live performance series Todo Mundo no Rio confirmed. The incident occurred Sunday, April 26, on Copacabana Beach, where the musician will perform next Saturday, May 2.

In a social media statement, which has been translated from Portuguese, organizers said, “An accident this Sunday afternoon tragically claimed the life of a professional who was working on the assembly of the show’s structures. First responders provided initial care at the scene, and the Fire Department was immediately called to transport the patient.”

The statement continued, “Unfortunately, the professional passed away at the hospital. At this time, we are extending our full support, care, and solidarity to the responsible company, its team, and the victim’s family.”

An eyewitness account shared via France24 detailed the scene at the time of the incident. “Out of nowhere, we saw people running, and when we looked, the structure was on the ground,” Antonio Marcos Ferreira dos Santos reportedly told the French news agency. “People were saying that a man had gotten trapped underneath. People rushed over to pull him out.”

Additional details shared via Reuters claimed the worker’s lower limbs were crushed in the collapse.

Representatives for Shakira did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment. The Colombian star was announced as the headliner for this year’s Todo Mundo no Rio event in February. The free concert series, which has previously presented performances from Lady Gaga and Madonna, is expected to draw millions as a leading attraction in Rio de Janeiro.

Earlier this year, a record-breaking 400,000 people attended the free concert Shakira hosted at the Zócalo in Mexico City. The musician released her most recent album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, in 2024