British pop icon Dua Lipa headlined Rock in Rio, closing a seven day run that showcased the festival’s most vibrant female voices. After a blistering seven nights, the final act proved that the festival remains a powerful platform for leading women in music, with a lineup that highlighted both global stars and homegrown talent.
On the festival’s closing night, Brazilian organizers framed the show as a deliberate celebration of women artists. The event drew attention from fans across the Americas, with Dua Lipa joined by notable guests from the United States and Brazil, including Megan Thee Stallion, Macy Gray, Ivete Sangalo, and Ludmilla, all contributing to a diverse program.
Dua Lipa delivered a slightly reimagined version of the Future Nostalgia tour. The set included crowd favorites like New Rules while also spotlighting the 2020 album of the same name. The performance bridged eras, featuring collaborations with Elton John on Cold Heart and with Calvin Harris on One Kiss, weaving a bridge between classic and contemporary pop sounds.
As the most streamed woman on Spotify globally and a major figure in contemporary pop, Lipa presented a curated snapshot of the tracks that define Nostalgia for the Future. The show leaned into disco-inspired rhythms from the 1970s and 1980s but reinterpreted them with a futuristic twist and lyrics that explore personal struggle.
The energy of Guns N’ Roses and Måneskin powers Rock in Rio
The festival pulsed with the irresistible tempo of the headlining acts, drawing 100,000 attendees to the City of Rock. The evening featured explosive performances and marked a memorable farewell to this edition. The audience roared through hits like Physical, Break My Heart, and Levitating, culminating in a celebratory finish as the festival closed for the night.
Rock in Rio bid farewell to its 2023 edition with Dua Lipa’s farewell performance of Don’t Start Now, one of her biggest hits, which delighted fans and reinforced her status as a global pop cornerstone.
The star of the latest Grammys
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion brought high-energy charisma to the samba stage. Wearing a show-stopping costume, she performed Budget and Kitty Kat, inviting fans to sing along and inviting a few onstage dancers to join her.
The Grammy-winning artist, who has claimed multiple awards in a recent year, included WAP from her collaborative work with Cardi B and other hit remixes such as Wild Remix. The performance also highlighted her collaboration with Beyoncé and the romantic collaboration that fueled the discourse around contemporary pop and hip-hop.
The set opened with Realer, a track from her earliest commercial release, Fever, and moved through highlights from her latest project Traumazine, which required a lighter costume to allow for more dynamic choreography. On a night centered on women, Stallion used the moment to speak out against machismo, declaring, My body, my decision, and urging empowerment through music.
The 27-year-old artist used the Rock in Rio stage to reinforce her message through a high-voltage performance that kept energy levels soaring throughout the crowd.
The festival stage also shone on Rita Ora, who seized the debut Rock in Rio moment by delivering a strong set of pop essentials. Her collaborations with Tiësto in Ritual and with David Guetta on Big showcased her adaptability as a live performer while extending a baton of Brazilian pop sensibilities with confident, danceable tracks. Her encore perched on Amor de Que Nenga, demonstrating a seamless blend of pop and Brazilian genre vibes as she closed a memorable appearance.
Macy Gray, a veteran voice with a timeless timbre, delivered a display of vocal prowess. Her performance of I Try, alongside a suite of classics, reminded listeners of the emotional range she brings to the stage even as she ages gracefully into new generations of fans. The set included tributes to Brazilian icon Elza Soares with A Mulher do Fim do Mundo, a moving homage that connected cultural history with the current moment.
Gray’s repertoire spanned Not only her signature songs About a Psychopath and Why Didn’t You Call Me, but also fresh interpretations of tracks by Prince, Radiohead, and Rod Stewart, reminding audiences that pop history remains a living conversation. The energy of the night underscored Rock in Rio’s enduring appeal as a bridge between genres, eras, and audiences from Canada and the United States to Brazil.
This edition of Rock in Rio—its twenty-first overall and the ninth in its Brazilian home—wrapped up after seven days of music with performances on September 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11. Iconic acts like Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Coldplay, Green Day, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Camila Cabello, and Avril Lavigne contributed to a festival that continues to shape the global pop and rock landscape for years to come, inviting fans from North America to continue following the evolving live-music phenomenon.