Meet Aya Nakamura, The French Superstar Who Bucked Racism To Perform At The Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony – Essence

The world took notice during the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in Paris this afternoon as French pop superstar Aya Nakamura strutted across a bridge over the Seine. Donning a gold metallic feather mini dress and a bold blonde bust down, the songstress belted out her smash hit single “Pookie” while accompanied by a live band helmed by France’s Republican Guard.

Yet, the triumphant moment is one many vocal Frenchmen never wanted to see happen.

Aya Nakamura currently sits as France’s top-selling artist worldwide. The pop singer, best known for her billion-stream hit album, 2019’s Nakamura and her chart-topping singles “Djadja,” “Copines,” and “Pookie,” is the most popular French singer since Edith Piaf, according to NPR. As such, it’s only natural that she was a part of the international celebration taking place in the nation’s capital, which decidedly celebrated French history and culture, including appearances from some of the nation’s top stars.

However, when whispers of Nakamura having been requested to perform at the then-upcoming 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris by President Emmanuel Macron himself broke in the French news last Sprint, the pop star was immediately subjected to racist backlash and xenophobic verbal attacks from citizens, journalists, and politicians alike.

Though born in the nation of Mali, the songstress was raised in the suburbs of Paris, sings primarily in French (though she will also incorporate Arabic, English and some West African languages), and has rested at A-list musical fame in the nation for the last five years. But naysayers claimed that her African heritage, and frankly, her Black identity, should disqualify her from representing her country on the world stage at a prestige event such as this one.

“The French don’t want to be represented in the eyes of the world by a singer whose style is influenced by the hood and Africa,” argued French politician and far-right extremist Marion Marechal-Le Pen on a Europe 1 Radio appearance in March. Many echoed her sentiments, accusing Nakamura of not being a “true Frenchwoman” due to her African heritage and accusing her of not being “elegant” enough to represent France.

Signs harassing the singer went up over the Seine as Olympic construction ensued, reminding her that “This is Paris, not the Bamako market.”

Thankfully, backed by the President, the Olympic committee, and many journalists, fans, and the music community, Nakamura remained undeterred, clapping back at the signs with a reminder that regardless of what anyone had to say, she was still the top artist in the nation.

“You can be racist but not deaf,” she posted on X on March 10. “That’s what hurts you! I’m the number 1 subject in the debate…but what do I really owe you? Nothing.”