Lady Gaga Takes the Stage at the Olympic Opening Ceremony

 

Lady Gaga kicked off the Olympic opening ceremony with a stunning rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire's "Mon Truc En Plumes" on a set of stairs along the Seine River.

Surrounded by pink feathers, Gaga's brief performance evoked memories of her Jazz and Piano residency in Las Vegas. It also paid homage to Jeanmaire's performance of the song on the Ed Sullivan Show. After descending the stairs, Gaga joined a chorus line and played the piano.

This opening ceremony is among the most ambitious to date, directed by Thomas Jolly, and runs along the Seine River. Olympic officials kept most performers under wraps ahead of the event.

In an Instagram post, Gaga expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and celebrated Jeanmaire. She also shared her love for France and its culture.

"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," she wrote.

French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, one of the most popular contemporary French artists, also performed on Friday.

Céline Dion is also rumored to perform.

She and Gaga sparked a social media frenzy after they were spotted in Paris this week. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Dion would be performing “L’Hymne à l’amour” by Édith Piaf.

The Olympics would mark Dion's first live performance since she publicly announced her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in 2022. The neurological disorder causes rigidity in the torso and limbs and can induce severe muscle spasms.

Dion has been open about how the disorder has affected her ability to control her vocal cords and sing. She released a documentary in June titled “I Am: Céline Dion” that shows her experiencing a debilitating muscle spasm.

Dion previously performed at the Olympic opening ceremony during the 1996 Atlanta Games, singing “The Power of the Dream” alongside composer David Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.