Rio's Christ the Redeemer welcomes Taylor Swift to Brazil for concerts, singer gets own comic book

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An image projected onto Christ the Redeemer welcomes US singer Taylor Swift to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Nov 16, 2023.

An image projected onto Christ the Redeemer welcomes US singer Taylor Swift to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Nov 16.

PHOTO: AFP

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RIO DE JANEIRO – The world’s most famous statue of Jesus Christ, the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, welcomed pop superstar Taylor Swift to town ahead of her first set of concerts to a massive audience in Brazil.

The iconic figure, known for its spread-open arms, donned a white, projected “Welcome to Brasil” T-shirt to greet the American singer-songwriter.

After performing in the United States, Mexico and Argentina, Swift, 33, is bringing her Eras Tour to Brazil for concerts that have been a long time coming after the pandemic caused her to cancel her previous dates in the country.

She is set to perform over three shows in Rio for the first time on Nov 17 to 19, with three more scheduled for the following weekend in Sao Paulo.

She arrived in scorching-hot Rio on her private jet earlier on Nov 16, while Brazilian Swifties organised an online campaign calling for the homage at the nearly 30m-tall monument.

The Christ the Redeemer Archdiocesan Sanctuary, which manages the monument, accepted their request, but only if Swifties donate 20,000 units of panettone, a sweet bread eaten at Christmas, and clean water as part of a fund-raiser to support local charities.

Christ the Redeemer frequently projects messages or visuals in support of social and cultural causes. In July, the statue displayed a clock to symbolise the urgent state of the climate crisis. In 2020, an array of flags of countries impacted by the coronavirus pandemic was displayed.

The back cover of the new Taylor Swift comic book, Female Force: Taylor Swift by TidalWave Comics.

PHOTO: TIDALWAVE COMICS

Meanwhile, Swifties who cannot get enough of their idol can learn more about her life in an upcoming biographical comic book.

Swift features as part of TidalWave Comics’ Female Force series on “accomplished and influential figures” across literature, business, entertainment, politics and more. The 22-page glossy charts her rise to stardom and highlights some of her career achievements.

A page of the new Taylor Swift comic book, Female Force: Taylor Swift, by TidalWave Comics.

PHOTO: TIDALWAVE COMICS

“Of course Taylor Swift deserves her own comic book,” said author Eric M. Esquivel. “She wears colourful tights and fights corporate villains who try to use their money to control her. The only other person who fits that description is Clark Kent... and even he couldn’t have written 1989.” 1989 is the title of her fifth album released in 2014.

The book will be released on Dec 13 and will be available in digital, paperback and hardcover with two covers. REUTERS

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