Washington [US], May 5 (ANI): Lady Gaga held a free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro recently, performing tracks from her massive catalogue of hits for an estimated crowd of 2.5 million people.

The gig, which was the pop superstar's first in Brazil in almost a decade, shattered the record for the most-attended concert by a female artist in history, which had previously been held by Madonna, according to concert organisers, reported People.

'Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night's show -- the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil. The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you,' wrote Gaga in an Instagram post, celebrating the event.

'An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history. I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world. I know I can't, but I can say this, if you lose your way, you can find your way back if you believe in yourself and work hard. You can give yourself dignity by rehearsing your passion and your craft, pushing yourself to new heights, you can lift yourself up even if it takes some time,' she continued, as per the outlet.

'Thank you, Rio, for waiting for me to come back. Thank you, little monsters all over the world. I love you. I will never forget this moment. Paws up, little monsters. Obrigada. Love, Mother Monster,' Gaga added.

Gaga acknowledged the historic moment during her concert, telling the Copacabana Beach crowd, 'Tonight, we're making history,' reported People.

'Thank you for making history with me,' she added to fans. 'The people of Brazil are the reason why I can shine.'

The star took another emotional moment to celebrate the crowd elsewhere during the evening. 'Your freedom is so vast ... your joy, your love, your spirit. May it be heard around the world tonight! 2.5 million people,' she told fans, as per concert footage shared on X.

The musician started her historic show with the 2011 track 'Bloody Mary,' and went on to perform a combination of her classics and songs off of her latest album, Mayhem, reported People.

Madonna's concert was also the first by a female artist to exceed a crowd of 1 million, per Guinness World Records. The overall record holder for the biggest concert crowd is still held by Rod Stewart, as per Guinness, according to People. (ANI)