This summer, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games had the merit of captivating the entire world. In particular, the sumptuous opening ceremony imagined by Thomas Jolly, which took place on July 26, 2024. Thus, the director called on countless renowned artists to orchestrate his memorable show. Like Lady Gaga who highlighted the world of cabaret with her dancers, the metal group Gojira who literally set the Conciergerie on fire or even Aya Nakamura who made a strong impression alongside the Republican Guard from the bridge of Arts.
Impossible to ignore the daring performance of Philippe Katerine or the much more poetic performance of Juliette Armanet! The highlight of the show was the surprise appearance of Céline Dion, who performed the hymn to love by Edith Piaf from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Although a large number of stars would have liked to be approached to shine alongside them, Mylène Farmer, a leading figure on the French musical scene, clearly declined the invitation, according to the recent confessions of Thomas Jolly, taken from the documentary The Great Seine, broadcast on December 19, 2024.
Gims also shuns the opening ceremony
“I had a great French singer (…). Mylène Farmer. But she was not available. So… So she told me 'no'“, revealed the artistic director of the ceremonies. Only a remix of Disenchanted, one of his most famous hits was broadcast in one of the artistic paintings that caused so much discussion. Equally disappointed by his absence, composer Victor Le Masne spoke further on the issue: “We're not going to lie, of course, it's the Olympics. The Olympic Games open doors, but there have also been refusals (…) It wasn’t either (…) an open bar.”
Like Mylène Farmer, the singer Gims would also have refused this great opportunity. “I could have done it, but it was not my will. I have already had the chance to perform one of the anthems of the 2022 Football World Cup, during the closing ceremony. I don't think we can get any bigger. I don't want to be everywhere“had humbly slipped the companion of DemDem to our colleagues from Ciné Télé Revue.
As for M Pokora, excluded from the global event, he did not hide his bitterness at the microphone of BFMTV : “I thought I was legitimate for this type of eventbig ceremonies. But that's life“. A disappointment also shared by DJ David Guetta who ended up being rebuffed by Thomas Jolly. “JI have nothing against David Guetta or anyone“according to his comments reported by AFP. “I'm not here to give my tastes. (…) And David Guetta, quite simply, what he developed as art was not related to what we wanted to tell.” It's said!
