World-renowned stars are set to perform at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday along the Seine River. While the exact lineup is kept secret, three performers are strongly rumored to be featured.
Lady Gaga
One of the top-selling artists globally, pop sensation Lady Gaga—born Stefani Germanotta—is known for her extravagant stage performances and costumes, complemented by her infectious electropop beats. She won an Oscar for “Shallow,” a song she co-wrote for the 2018 film A Star is Born. In that film, she performed Edith Piaf’s classic “La Vie en rose,” and Piaf’s music is expected to be featured in the Olympics ceremony.
Lady Gaga was recently spotted arriving at a Paris hotel ahead of the opening event. This highly anticipated appearance comes during a busy year for the 38-year-old Oscar winner, who recently announced she is working on a new album and will also star as Harley Quinn in the upcoming Joker movie, set to screen at the Venice Film Festival in late August.
“Music is one of the most powerful things the world has to offer,” she said before her electrifying 2017 Super Bowl halftime show. “It has the power to unite us, regardless of race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or gender.”
Read more: Will Lady Gaga Perform at Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony?
Celine Dion
Canadian superstar Celine Dion is poised to make a comeback following her battle with a rare illness, as revealed in a recent documentary. She has been spotted taking selfies with fans throughout Paris this week. Reports suggest she may perform Edith Piaf’s emotional love song “Hymne à l’Amour” at the ceremony, marking her second appearance at the Olympics after the 1996 Atlanta Games. Last month, Dion pledged to overcome the rare neurological condition that has kept her off stage.
Dion first announced her diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disorder, in December 2022. However, she told in June that she is determined to return to the stage, even if it means performing in unconventional ways. With over 250 million albums sold and two Grammys for “My Heart Will Go On” from the 1997 film Titanic, Dion has had a remarkable career spanning decades.
Aya Nakamura
Franco-Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura, 29, is the most-streamed French-speaking artist globally, with seven billion online streams. Known for hits like “Djadja” and “Pookie,” Nakamura has faced criticism from right-wing activists regarding her potential Olympics performance. This backlash followed media reports that she had considered performing a Piaf song at a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. Although neither side confirmed the details, Macron publicly supported her participation in the ceremony. Critics from far-right and conservative groups have accused her of “vulgarity” and undermining the French language with her lyrics.
Born Aya Danioko in Bamako, Mali, in 1995, Nakamura moved to the Paris suburbs with her family as a child. In a 2020 AFP interview, she described her music as exploring “feelings of love in all their aspects” and expressed pride in creating her unique musical style, despite attempts by others to categorize her.
