T-shirt inspired by Taylor Swift projected onto Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue
The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is donning a "Welcome to Brazil" shirt inspired by Taylor Swift's "Junior Jewels" shirt after a fan campaign and act of charity from the Swiftie community. The projection started at 9 p.m. Rio de Janeiro time (7 p.m. ET) and is honoring the singer's Eras Tour trip to Brazil.
"We did it Swifties!" Father Omar said in a recent post on Instagram with a helicopter shot of the statue.
Mayor of Rio: "...Ready for it?"
“Swifties cariocas… are you ready for it?” The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, posted on X Thursday morning confirming that there will be a projection honoring Taylor Swift on the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue.
Even with the mayor of Rio de Janeiro's blessing and announcement Thursday morning, Father Omar, the rector of the Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary who oversees the projection at the statue, turned the Taylor Swift request into an act of charity.
In a news release, Father Omar said if his church collected 20,000 units of panettone and water by 9 p.m. on Thursday to help the impoverished, they would project the image 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 Photoshopped image of the statue wearing a “Junior Jewels” T-shirt from the “You Belong With Me” music video, the mayor's Portuguese announcement on X translates to:
“Just to tell you Taylor Swift fans. The Swifties. Tonight, Christ the Redeemer will honor her presence. She is the Michael Jackson of modern times and for me, Madonna. Anyway, the oldest ones here have other records, but we're going to have Taylor Swift duly honored for her arrival in Rio de Janeiro. Welcome, Taylor Swift. And stay happy, Swifties. Thanks!”
“It doesn’t seem real,” Ulths De Carvalho said, “It’s something we’ve been wishing for a long, long time. It’s finally happening, and it’s crazy."
He said projections on the statue are a symbol of respect in his country. In 2019, the Christ the RedeemerCatholic Church projected a fútbol uniform of the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo after the men’s team won the Copa Libertadores de América.
More:Rio de Janeiro mayor wants to project Taylor Swift T-shirt on Jesus Christ statue
"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 was set lands in Brazil Thursday afternoon and has three shows this weekend at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro before heading off to Sao Paolo to conclude the 2023 leg of the Eras Tour.
Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
