Lady Gaga opened the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday with a spectacular homage to the city.
The singer delivered her performance of Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon truc en plumes” along the Seine, where the opening ceremony is being held for the first time.
The performance featured dancers outfitted in black, holding pink feathers and performing a choreographed routine around Gaga, along with a band. Soon after her performance, she shared a big “thank you” to France for welcoming her to perform. She explained how she got ready for the performance on a social media post:
“We rented pom poms from Le Lido archive—a real French cabaret theater. We collaborated with Dior to create custom costumes, using naturally molted feathers. I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on a French classic.”
Along with Gaga, French Malian singer Aya Nakamura delivered a performance of her songs “Pookie” and “Djadja.” The orchestra of the French Republican Guard also performed Charles Aznavour’s “For Me Formidable” and “La Bohème.”
This follows the parade of athletes through the river that came to an end in front of the Trocadéro, which offered a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower.
French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel sang the French national anthem while standing on the roof of the Grand Palais.
After all delegations were presented during the Parade of Nations, Juliette Armanet sang “Imagine” by John Lennon with Sofian Pamart accompanied Armanet on the piano.
Celine Dion closed the opening night with a powerful rendition of Edith Piaf’s famous song “Hymne á l’amour” at the Eiffel Tower after the Olympics were officially opened and the Olympic cauldron was lit in the Tuileries Garden.
This marks the singers first public performance since her diagnosis of Stiff-Person Syndrome in 2022.
