Aya Nakamura Proves Why She’s France’s Biggest Star at the 2024 Paris Opening Ceremony
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After what seemed like months of anticipation, Aya Nakamura left it all on the stage for the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris. The global star went for the gold—literally—to kick off this year’s Olympics Games. While wearing a metallic textured minidress, matching strappy gladiator sandals, and her hair in a platinum-blonde blowout, the singer performed her song “Pookie” alongside a crew of dancers and a live band courtesy of France’s Republican Guard.
Aya’s performance comes after there was controversy over whether or not she would perform for the city’s opening ceremony. While Aya is France’s most-streamed musician (for context, her entire catalog has racked a massive 6 billion in streams), some racist naysayers argued that her Mali roots should bar her from being a part of official Olympics celebrations for Paris—even while she performs completely in French and stands as one of the country’s most popular recording artists.
Needless to say, Aya gracing the stage alongside the Seine for today’s ceremony is a political move, with French officials showing their support for the star and recognizing that African artists, creatives, and everyday people are just as much a part of France’s cultural makeup. Fans were quick to praise her performance on social media, calling the moment “monumental” and “incredible.”
Aya addressed the rumors and controversy in her song “Doggy,” released earlier this year, rapping in her lyrics, “I don’t have enemies, me / It’s them that don’t like me…A load of enemies / But I don’t even know them.”
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