Brazilian Swifties illuminate the Christ the Redeemer statue
Brazilian Swifties are celebrating after successfully requesting a projection onto the Christ the Redeemer statue in honor of Taylor Swift.
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The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro wears a “Welcome to Brazil” shirt inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Junior Jewels” shirt, following a fan campaign and charity drive by the Swiftie community. The projection began at 9 p.m. Rio de Janeiro time (7 p.m. ET) and honors the singer’s Eras Tour trip to Brazil.
“We did it, Swifties!” Father Omar said in a recent Instagram post with a helicopter shot of the statue.
Mayor of Rio: “…Ready for this?”
“Swifties Cariocas… are you ready for this?” Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes, Posted on X Thursday morning This confirms that there will be a projection honoring Taylor Swift on the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue.
Despite the blessing and announcement by the mayor of Rio de Janeiro on Thursday morning, Father Omar, the rector of the Christ the Savior Shrine who oversees the projection at the statue, turned Taylor Swift’s request into an act of charity.
In a press release, Father Omar said that if his church collected 20,000 units of panettone and water to help the impoverished by 9 p.m. Thursday, they would give the image of welcoming the superstar to Brazil. He said the projection art was inspired by fan requests and was created by Gabriel Dadam, the art director of one of the singer’s fan clubs.
According to Leonardo Ulths De Carvalho, 21, a publicist in Brazil who created the original Photoshop image of the statue wearing a “Junior Jewels” T-shirt from the “You Belong With Me” music video, the mayor’s announcement in Portuguese reads X:
“Just to tell you Taylor Swift fans. The Swifties. Tonight Christ the Redeemer will honor their presence. She is the Michael Jackson of modern times and to me she is Madonna. Anyway, the elders here have other records, but we will give due honor to Taylor Swift for her arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Welcome, Taylor Swift. And stay happy, Swifties. Thanks!”
“It doesn’t seem real,” said Ulths De Carvalho, “it’s something we’ve wanted for a long time.” Finally it’s happening and it’s crazy.
He said projections on the statue were a symbol of respect in his country. In 2019, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church designed a soccer jersey for the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo after the men’s team won the Copa Libertadores de América.
More: The mayor of Rio de Janeiro wants to project a Taylor Swift T-shirt onto the statue of Jesus Christ
“They will project something about her,” Ulths de Carvalho said. “We just don’t know if it will be the ‘You Belong with Me’ T-shirt.”
Swift touched down in Brazil on Thursday afternoon and has three performances at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro this weekend before heading to Sao Paolo to complete the 2023 Eras Tour leg.
Follow USA TODAY Network Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.