K-Pop & Asia
Hwasa Drives Fans Wild With Daring Stage Moment at Festival
Sep 22, 2026
Star file
Rock in Rio
music festival
10 stories · latest Sep 22, 2026 · K-Pop & Asia, Music
Rock in Rio biography
Rock in Rio is a world-famous music festival held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, featuring performances on major stages such as Palco Mundo and the New Dance Order stage. The mega-festival attracts massive international and local crowds to its Cidade do Rock grounds, hosting headliners and performers across diverse genres including pop, rock, reggaeton, electronic dance music, and K-pop.
Recent coverage highlights high-profile debut appearances and landmark headlining sets by global acts. Highlights include Stray Kids making history as the first K-pop group to headline Palco Mundo, marathon sets by Elton John, surprise local guest appearances during sets by Demi Lovato and J Balvin, and debut performances from artists like Halsey, Lola Young, Fatboy Slim, and Twenty One Pilots.
- Coverage of Rock in Rio focuses heavily on milestone performances, historic festival debuts, and special collaborations tailored to Brazilian audiences.
- Reports frequently emphasize the intense dedication and high energy of the crowd, even during severe weather conditions such as heavy rain.
- Stories also highlight artists pushing through personal or physical challenges to deliver complete sets on the festival's major stages.
The Rock in Rio shelf
Music to own
Latest on Rock in Rio
Music
Lola Young Breaks Down in Tears at Rock in Rio Debut: 'Best in the World'
Sep 14, 2026
Music
Halsey Battles Facial Infection During Epic Rock in Rio Debut After Asking for '100 Witches'
Sep 14, 2026
Music
J Balvin Turns Rock In Rio Into A Massive Brazilian Party With Surprise Guests
Sep 13, 2026
Music
Demi Lovato Brings Out Drag Legend Pabllo Vittar for Epic Rock in Rio Finale
Sep 13, 2026
Rock in Rio timeline
Sep 8, 2026
Elton John moved his showtime up by 65 minutes to deliver a 24-song marathon set lasting over two hours.
Elton John Bumps Rock In Rio Set To Pay Back Brazil With Massive 24-Song Show
Sep 8, 2026
Fatboy Slim made his festival debut closing out the New Dance Order stage following Elton John's set.
Fatboy Slim Hits Rock in Rio Stage for the First Time Ever After Decades of Touring Brazil
Sep 12, 2026
Stray Kids became the first K-pop group to headline the main Palco Mundo stage at Rock in Rio.
Stray Kids Make History as First K-Pop Group to Headline Rock in Rio's Main StageSep 13, 2026
Demi Lovato closed out her Palco Mundo performance by bringing out Brazilian drag icon Pabllo Vittar for a duet of Cool for the Summer.
Demi Lovato Brings Out Drag Legend Pabllo Vittar for Epic Rock in Rio FinaleSep 13, 2026
J Balvin performed an hour-long reggaeton set on the main stage featuring surprise guest appearances by Brazilian artists Pedro Sampaio and Melody.
J Balvin Turns Rock In Rio Into A Massive Brazilian Party With Surprise GuestsSep 14, 2026
Halsey completed a 75-minute debut performance despite battling a painful facial infection.
Halsey Battles Facial Infection During Epic Rock in Rio Debut After Asking for '100 Witches'Sep 14, 2026
Lola Young wept during her debut set on the Palco Mundo stage while performing her song Spiders in front of a rain-soaked crowd.
Lola Young Breaks Down in Tears at Rock in Rio Debut: 'Best in the World'
The photos · 7
Rock in Rio: your questions
Who was the first K-pop group to headline Rock in Rio's main stage?
Stray Kids made history as the first K-pop group to headline the festival's primary Palco Mundo stage.
What stages are at Rock in Rio?
The festival features the main stage Palco Mundo as well as the electronic music stage New Dance Order.
Which special guests joined J Balvin during his Rock in Rio set?
J Balvin brought out local Brazilian hitmakers Pedro Sampaio and Melody during his hour-long set.
Why did Elton John change his performance start time at Rock in Rio?
Elton John moved his set time up by 65 minutes to give the audience a full 24-song, two-hour-and-15-minute marathon performance.
Why did Lola Young cry during her Rock in Rio debut?
Lola Young became overwhelmed with emotion while performing her track Spiders as thousands of rain-soaked fans sang the lyrics back to her.
More on Rock in Rio
Music
Stray Kids Make History as First K-Pop Group to Headline Rock in Rio's Main Stage
The eight-member K-pop powerhouse took over Brazil's Palco Mundo for a landmark performance packed with high-octane choreography and massive crowd energy.
Sep 12, 2026
Music
Fatboy Slim Hits Rock in Rio Stage for the First Time Ever After Decades of Touring Brazil
The legendary British DJ closed out the mega-festival on the New Dance Order stage following a rare set by Elton John.
Sep 8, 2026
Music
Elton John Bumps Rock In Rio Set To Pay Back Brazil With Massive 24-Song Show
The music legend moved his start time up by over an hour to deliver a marathon performance for fans.
Sep 8, 2026
Music
Elton John Dusts Off Rare Deep Cut For Brazil Crowd To Keep 30-Year Concert Tradition Alive
The legendary hitmaker surprised his Rock in Rio audience with a track he admits isn't popular anywhere else on Earth.
Sep 8, 2026
Music
Twenty One Pilots Hype Up 'Passionate' Brazilian Fans Ahead Of Rock In Rio Debut
Drummer Josh Dun praised the crowd's legendary energy as the duo prepares to hit the famous festival stage.
Sep 3, 2026