Colourful Playlist of the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony
The rainy opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics included not just a parade of boats and athletes, performances, and mini-plays, but also a series of vibrant musical pieces that combined traditional opera, French classical music, and contemporary popular culture.
Here is a selection of songs that were played at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, in chronological order.
Lady Gaga with Pink Pom-Poms
The musical part of the ceremony opened with a number by American star Lady Gaga. The singer performed "Mon Truc En Plume" (1961) by the famous French ballerina, actress, and singer Zizi Jeanmaire. Lady Gaga theatrically emerged from a train of pink feathers shaped like a heart, dressed in a black leotard, long black gloves, and a feathered headpiece, while dancers in black waved pink pom-poms around her. She briefly sat at a piano to play a few bars at the foot of the golden stairs on the banks of the Seine.
Heavy Metal and a Headless Marie Antoinette
Performers at the Paris opening ceremony delved into France’s epic and bloody history, blending themes from the historical novel "Les Misérables" with heavy metal performed by the band Gojira. Dancers enacted scenes from Victor Hugo's novel, moving through Parisian sewers where the story’s hero, Jean Valjean, evaded the police in a theft case. The screen flashed the word "Liberté" before a headless Marie Antoinette appeared, leading the audience into a heavy metal performance on the Seine.
Aya Nakamura in Gold on the Catwalk
Aya Nakamura, France’s most popular singer both at home and abroad, performed her songs "Pookie" and "Djadja" in a golden outfit on a catwalk on the Pont des Arts, connecting the Institut de France to the Louvre. The Malian-born singer-songwriter, who moved to France in her childhood, delivered a powerful performance that showcased her immense talent and popularity.
French Rapper Rim'K Shouts Out Snoop Dogg
Algerian-French rapper Rim'K, dressed in a red and black checked jacket by Louis Vuitton, took to the stage to perform a song titled "King." In his song, he notably referenced rapper and Olympic enthusiast/torchbearer/commentator Snoop Dogg. Following this, NBC hosts checked in with Snoop, who was rocking his Team USA jacket and a pair of shades, dancing with an umbrella and microphone in hand.
“Imagine” on a Fiery Raft
As night fell, all eyes turned to two performers on a floating raft with a piano. One of them played the opening notes of "Imagine" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The piano then caught fire. Pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet’s performance aimed to celebrate a world united and without borders. According to the organisers, "Imagine" is a staple of the Olympic protocol and has been a highlight of many recent opening ceremonies. Artists from around the world performed "Imagine" at the 2020 Tokyo Games. It was also performed at the 2012 London Olympics and memorably by Stevie Wonder at the closing ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as a tribute to the victims of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing that summer.
The Long-Awaited Return of Celine Dion
The ceremony concluded with Celine Dion’s breathtaking rendition of Edith Piaf's "L'Hymne à l'amour." This marked a much-anticipated return to the public stage for the French-Canadian singer, who had rarely performed since being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022. This rare and incurable neurological condition causes severe muscle spasms and stiffness. In April, Dion told Vogue France that the disease "is still in me and will always be." She said she undergoes physical, athletic, and vocal therapy five days a week. Singing at the base of the Eiffel Tower in a shimmering silver gown, she undoubtedly captured the audience’s attention.