Lady Gaga did in fact perform at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris on Friday, taking the “stage” early in the ceremony while the sun was still shining. Or, at least it was behind the clouds and rain.
Rumors had swirled for weeks that Lady Gaga might make an Opening Ceremony appearance. With gay Opening Ceremony director Thomas Jolly in charge, speculation grew in recent days.
“I’ll be fired if I tell you anything,” Jolly told the Associated Press last week. “All I can tell you is that it will be very meaningful for the artists that will perform.”
Gaga walked down steps, her identity hidden by giant plumes of pink features for the big moment of reveal.
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“Good evening, welcome to Paris,” Gaga said in French through the mic before her performance.
Her performance provided some of the highest energy of the Opening Ceremony broadcast, as she sang and even got behind the piano to tickle the ivory.
Singing in French, she performed the classic “Mon Truc en Plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire.
There are reports that the track was pre-recorded by Gaga. That’s a pretty standard practice for live television, so nobody should be surprised.
As Jim Buzinski wrote earlier, the idea of hosting the Opening Ceremony on the Seine was an interesting one, but it left a lot to be desired for a TV broadcast. The rain didn’t help either.
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Paris Olympic opening ceremony was boring, wet and dullest in memory
Putting the Olympic athletes on boats in the Seine turned out to be a bad idea that robbed Olympians of a special moment.
By Jim Buzinski | July 26, 2024
Yet Gaga certainly provided a high-energy highlight that NBC viewers will enjoy watching.
While a handful of sports have already started competition at the Paris Olympics — soccer and rugby in particular — the competitions will get underway in earnest on Saturday, with some events already awarding medals.
The Summer Olympics run now through the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 11.
