Lady Gaga’s and Celine Dion’s appearances at the Olympics were highly anticipated by fans, solidifying after sightings on the streets of Paris. Despite unfavorable weather with showers and overcast skies, their performances illuminated the opening ceremony of the eagerly awaited Paris Olympics 2024. Musical sensations Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura joined dancers, an opera diva, and a heavy metal band for a ceremony that proudly blended French culture with a modern twist.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who watched from the VIP stand with other leaders, took to social media and wrote about the multi-location ceremony: “It is time. The world is watching us. Let’s open the Games in style!”
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Performing by the Seine River, Lady Gaga dazzled the audience with her rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire’s ‘Mon Truc en Plumes’ (“My Thing With Feathers”), an iconic French music hall hit, emerging from behind pom-poms held by dancers.
Taking to her official handle, Lady Gaga shared pictures from the ceremony and penned a lengthy post. Reflecting on her connection with French culture and her song choice, Gaga wrote, “Though not a French artist, I’ve always felt a special bond with the French people and their music. I aimed to create a performance that would warm French hearts, celebrate their art and music, and remind everyone of the magic of Paris on this momentous occasion.”
I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year. I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and… pic.twitter.com/FMNyiosHUR
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 26, 2024
Following Gaga’s enchanting performance, Celine Dion made a grand comeback at the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony, performing from the Eiffel Tower, a highlight of the event.
Nearly two years after revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome, Dion delivered a powerful rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”). Although not French, Dion, hailing from Canada, has a deep connection with France and the Olympics. French is her first language, and she has achieved immense success in France and other French-speaking countries. The music icon also performed “The Power of The Dream,” the theme song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Additionally, Franco-Malian R&B superstar Aya Nakamura, the most popular French-speaking singer globally, enthralled viewers with a medley including her hits “Pookie” and “Djadja,” along with Charles Aznavour’s classic “For me Formidable.”