Footage of Taylor Swift 'struggling to breathe’ goes viral after a fan dies at her show in Rio

Unsettling footage being shared widely on social media shows Taylor Swift struggling to regain her breath while performing in Rio.

Unsettling footage being shared widely on social media shows Taylor Swift struggling to regain her breath while performing on stage in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The video, taken by a person in the crowd, has emerged after one of Swift’s fans died before her show on Friday night, local time, at Estadio Nilton Santos Stadium.

The concert took place in extreme heat, with temperatures in Rio reaching as high as 40 degrees Celsius – prompting Swift to stop the show midway through and demand water be brought to the struggling fans.

The new footage shows Swift herself struggling as well, having just finished her performance of the song Bejeweled.

The singer’s fans expressed their concern for her wellbeing.

“She is only 33 and in incredible physical shape. That she was struggling that much is really scary,” wrote one person.

“This breaks my heart on so many levels,” said another.

“She’s so professional but watching her like this, my best wishes go to her.

“I’m also thinking about fans that had to endure those crazy temperatures.”

Swift’s Eras Tour performance, which lasts about three hours, involves highly energetic choreography and intense stage lighting, which would only have added to the challenge presented by Rio’s heat.

Swift performing on stage. Picture: Michael Tran/AFP

It’s tiring for her at the best of times. Picture: Michael Tran/AFP

The woman who died at the show – where hundreds of others are reported to have fainted from the heat – has been identified as 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides.

Ms Benevides, who reportedly fainted in the front row, suffered a cardiac arrest.

“I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show. I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this,” Swift announced on social media.

“There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.

“I’m not going to be able to speak about this from the 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. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

Fans try to cool themselves while queuing before the concert. Picture: Tercio Teixeira/AFP

Swift later postponed her second show in Rio hours before she was due to take the stage, with the temperature index in the city heading into the high fifties.

“I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium. The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio,” she said.

“The safety and wellbeing of my fans, fellow performers and crew has to and will always come first.”

That statement was posted at 6pm, about 90 minutes before she would normally have been expected to perform.

Originally published as Footage of Taylor Swift 'struggling to breathe’ goes viral after a fan dies at her show in Rio