Drama has erupted in Brazil’s entertainment scene after Rio de Janeiro’s mayor barred rising pop sensation Chappell Roan from performing at one of the city’s biggest music festivals following a controversial incident involving the family of football star Jorginho.
Rio mayor Eduardo Cavaliere took to X (formerly Twitter) to make the explosive announcement, declaring that the singer would not be welcome at the popular Todo Mundo no Rio festival for as long as he remains in office.
“I mean that as long as I’m in charge of our city, this young lady @ChappellRoan will never perform at Todo Mundo no Rio!” Cavaliere wrote. In the same breath, he appeared to side with the footballer’s family, even extending a special invitation to Jorginho’s daughter as an honored guest at the upcoming edition of the event.
The mayor added, “I doubt that Shakira would do that! By the way, @FrelloJorginho your little one is already the guest of honor of the organization in May!”
Todo Mundo no Rio, Portuguese for “Everyone in Rio”—is a flagship series of free international concerts held annually on the iconic Copacabana Beach every May. The event, backed by City Hall and private sponsors, is designed to boost tourism and the local economy.
The festival has quickly become a global attraction, with Madonna headlining its debut edition in 2024, followed by Lady Gaga in 2025. Shakira is already slated to headline the next edition, scheduled for the first Saturday of May.
The mayor’s decision came just hours after Jorginho publicly detailed what he described as a “disproportionate” confrontation between his family and a member of Chappell Roan’s security team at a hotel in São Paulo.
According to the midfielder, the incident occurred while his wife, Catherine Harding—also known as Cat Cavelli—and their 11-year-old daughter were staying at the same hotel as the singer during Lollapalooza Brasil.
In a series of Instagram posts, Jorginho claimed that his daughter, who had been excited to meet the artist, was instead accused by a security guard of harassing and disrespecting the singer.
“I went through a very upsetting situation with my family earlier today,” he wrote. “My daughter woke up incredibly excited. She even made a sign because she was so happy to see an artist she really admires, or used to admire.”
While the family has not explicitly confirmed which child was involved, Harding shared images from the festival showing her daughter Ada, further fueling speculation online.
As the controversy continues to gain traction, Chappell Roan has yet to respond publicly to either Jorginho’s allegations or the mayor’s sweeping ban.