Taylor Swift posted a written message to her since-expired Instagram Story mourning the sudden death of 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado at The Eras Tour in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil on Friday, November 17. In part, Swift wrote, “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply, and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.” It seemed as if Swift sang about it from the stage on Sunday night, November 19.
Swift’s second surprise song was “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” from Midnights (3am Edition). Swift has not said whether she was singing it for Benevides, but Swifties believed that this was her way of tributing her late fan. Given the song’s lyrics and Swift’s track record with moving intentionally at all times, it does not feel like a coincidence.
Someone in attendance caught the full performance on video.
| Full length video of Taylor performing “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” at the second Eras show in Rio #RioTSTheErasTour pic.twitter.com/eeRg1N4kXr
— Taylor Swift Updates 🩵 (@swifferupdates) November 20, 2023
goodbye goodbye goodbye you were bigger than the whole sky pic.twitter.com/fKdWyM5azW
— Taylor Throwbacks (@ThrowbackTaylor) November 20, 2023
Quinn Fife, a prominent Swiftie, resurfaced a December 2022 post by Benevides in which she quoted “Bigger Than The Whole Sky,” while other Swifties showed an outpouring of collective grief and support.
— quinny quinn quinn (@lostintay) November 20, 2023
My daughter just pointed out how it’s raining so hard. She said
” I bet you that is Ana in Heaven sending the rain to keep everyone cool so they don’t overheat”
We will never forget you Ana!! #RioTSTheErasTour #AnaBenevides
— Nikki (Taylor’s Version) | 1989TV
(@Nikki2Swiftie) November 20, 2023
i know taylor said she wouldn’t be able to speak about ana on stage as it is too painful for her but bigger than the whole sky was such a beautiful way to honor her, truly so special 🙁
— karen🩵 (@picturetokurn) November 20, 2023
you were bigger than the whole sky
— best of swift ❁ (@besttofswift) November 20, 2023
ana benevides you were bigger than the whole sky, essa foi pra você!
pic.twitter.com/BDEGkwoifl
— vítor (@hoaxts) November 20, 2023
On November 7, an X (formerly known as Twitter) account said to belong to Benevides posted (translated from Portuguese to English), “Like I literally don’t know what my purpose in life will be after I see Taylor.”
On November 18, event organizer Time For Fun confirmed her death with a statement, as translated from Portuguese to English below:
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23 years old.
Last night, Ana Clara felt unwell and was promptly attended to by the team of firefighters and paramedics, being taken to the medical center at Estadio Nilton Santos for first aid protocol. Given the situation, the medical team chose to transfer him to Hospital Salgado Filho, where, after almost an hour of emergency care, she unfortunately died.
To the family and friends of Ana Clara Benevides Machado, our sincere condolences.”
— T4F (@t4f) November 18, 2023
An official cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, though several Brazilian outlets have reported that Benevides “suffered cardiac arrest” (as relayed by several outlets, such as Time and USA Today) due to an extreme heat wave, conditions that forced Swift to postpone her second The Eras Tour concert in Rio from Saturday, November 18, to Monday, November 20.
| Tonight’s show has been postponed pic.twitter.com/uhWJytcPF3
— Taylor Swift Updates 🩵 (@swifferupdates) November 18, 2023