The closing ceremony of the Paris Paralympic Games opened on Sunday with a tribute to Johnny Hallyday, a fixture in the stadiums throughout the Olympic summer, with a symphonic version of his song “Live for the best” performed by rising French star Santa.
The 31-year-old singer, in a huge khaki and black hooded dress with a train reminiscent of a boxer’s dressing gown, made this rock hymn to life resonate in the Stade de France.
From national icon Johnny Hallyday, who died in 2017 at the age of 74, the hit “That I love you” had already been chosen to accompany the French delegation during the opening ceremony of the Paralympics on August 28 at Place de la Concorde.
The French rhythmic gymnastics team had also elected Johnny for one of its appearances.
It’s an understatement to say that the legendary 1999 ballad marked the playlist of the Paris 2024 Games, played in the speakers during almost every event. The non-French speaking public didn’t always follow or understand, but the French generally sang their hearts out.
This title, with “Light the fire“, enters directly into the informal playlist of French sport where one can also find “I will survive” by Gloria Gaynor or “In Emilie’s eyes” by Joe Dassin.
Singer Santa, from the band Hyphen Hyphen, has been going solo since she returned to the limelight with “Salty popcorn“, a nostalgic and powerful ballad that resonated successfully during the summer of 2022. The clip was shot on a square in Brussels where Santa played the piano 40m high, suspended by a crane.
She embodies one of the new faces of French song, like Zaho de Sagazan, invited to close the Olympic Games, or Juliette Armanet, who performed at the Olympic opening.
