Lady Gaga kicked off the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony with a stunning performance of Zizi Jeanmaire's "Mon Truc En Plumes" on the steps along the Seine River.
The event, directed by Thomas Jolly, featured a mix of French culture, history, and modern music, making it one of the most ambitious opening ceremonies to date.
Key Highlights
- Lady Gaga performed "Mon Truc En Plumes" in a cabaret-style tribute to French culture.
- The performance was prerecorded and featured elaborate choreography and costumes.
- The ceremony included other notable performances by Aya Nakamura and a rumored appearance by Céline Dion.
Lady Gaga's Performance
Lady Gaga's performance began with her emerging from behind a heart-shaped plume of pink feathers, wearing a black leotard, long black gloves, and a feathery headpiece.
She performed the iconic French song "Mon Truc En Plumes" by Zizi Jeanmaire, accompanied by black-clad dancers shaking pink pom poms around her. Gaga briefly sat down at a piano to play a few bars, all at the foot of a golden staircase on the banks of the Seine.
In an Instagram post, Gaga expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and celebrated Jeanmaire. She also shared her love for France and its culture, stating, "Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music—I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth—Paris."
Other Performances
French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, one of the most popular contemporary French artists, also performed during the ceremony. She took to a golden runway on the Pont des Arts, performing a mashup of her songs "Pookie" and "Djadja" in a gold outfit.
There were also rumors of a performance by Céline Dion, who was spotted in Paris earlier in the week. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Dion would be performing “L’Hymne à l’amour” by Édith Piaf. This would mark Dion's first live performance since she announced her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
Lady Gaga performing "Mon truc en plumes" at the #Olympics opening ceremony!pic.twitter.com/a1WOKzn2AV
— Lady Gaga Updates (@LGTourNews) July 26, 2024
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A Night to Remember
The opening ceremony was a blend of historical and modern elements, featuring performances that leaned into France’s epic and bloody history. Themes from the historical novel "Les Misérables" were mixed with heavy metal performed by the band Gojira. Dancers depicted scenes from the novel, including the Parisian sewers where protagonist Jean Valjean evaded police.
The ceremony also included a moving performance of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Imagine" by pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet on a floating raft, celebrating a world reconciled and without borders.
Overall, the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony was a spectacular showcase of French culture, history, and modern music, setting the stage for an exciting Olympic Games.
