The show must go on. Nobody understands that more than Lady Gaga, who performed “Mon Truc En Plumes” by French ballet dancer, actress, and singer Renée “Zizi” Jeanmaire during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, July 26.
Gaga’s dazzling medley was almost canceled, however, as Maud Le Pladec, the Olympics and Paralympics choregrapher and head of dance, exclusively told Variety.
“Unfortunately, it was the only [performance] that, for safety reasons, we had to pre-record late in the afternoon, once we knew for sure that it was going to rain — we had minute-by-minute updates, we had never watched the weather forecast so closely in our lives. We assessed that it was going to be too dangerous for performers, even with a few drops of rain. [Gaga] wanted to do it absolutely so we preferred to pre-record it rather than cancel it,” Le Pladec said.
Le Pladec additionally relayed that Gaga “was on site” during the opening ceremony and “watched her musical number on screen from her dressing room before returning to her hotel.” (The same hotel where Gaga played snippets from her forthcoming seventh studio album on Sunday, July 28.)
Gaga posted what the performance meant to her across her social media accounts, as seen below.
“I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year. I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song — a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
This song was sung by Zizi Jeanmaire, born in Paris a French ballerina, she famously sang ‘Mon Truc en Plumes’ in 1961. The title means ‘My Thing with Feathers.’ And this is not the first time we’ve crossed paths. Zizi starred in Cole Porter’s musical ‘Anything Goes’ which was my first jazz release.
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. We rented pom poms from Le Lido archive — a real French cabaret theater. We collaborated with Dior to create custom costumes, using naturally molted feathers. I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on a French classic. I rehearsed tirelessly to study a joyful French dance, brushing up on some old skills — I bet you didn’t know I used to dance at a ’60s French party on the lower east side when I was first starting out!
I hope you love this performance as much as I do. And to everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honor of you — it’s a gift I’ll never forget! Congratulations to all the athletes who are competing in this year’s Olympic Games! It is my supreme honor to sing for you and cheer you on!! Watching the Olympic Games always makes me cry! Your talent is unimaginable. Let the games begin!”
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