Aya Nakamura finds herself at the heart of a political and epidermal debate. The Franco-Malian star could sing Édith Piaf at the opening of the Paris Olympic Games. If its presence has not yet been confirmed, this hypothesis makes reactionaries in France bristle, with a peak reached this weekend.
4 mins
The rumor started from an article in the French weekly The Expresswho assures that the person concerned would have discussed with Emmanuel Macron her possible participation in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, with the possibility of resuming Edith Piaf. Neither the President of the Republic, nor the singer French speaking the most listened to in the world have, for the moment, confirmed this rumor.
But since then, the artist has been stigmatized by the far right. Boos arose at the mention of the artist on Sunday, during a first major campaign meeting for the European elections of Reconquête, Eric Zemmour’s far-right party, at the Dôme in Paris. In addition, a small ultra-right group, Les Natifs, posted on its networks a photo of a banner hung by around ten of its members on the banks of the Seine. “There’s no way Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market!” “, we can read there. “There’s no way” refers to his hit “Djadja”, with more than 950 million views on YouTube.
Aya Nakamura reacted to this banner on his social networks: “ you can be racist but not deaf… That’s what hurts you! I am becoming a number 1 state subject in debates. But what do I really owe you? Kedal (nothing, Editor’s note).”
You can be racist but not deaf 🧏.. That’s what hurts you! I’m becoming a number 1 state subject in debates etc. but what do I really owe you? Kedal https://t.co/rgnGeAAOfD
— Aya Nakamura (@AyaNakamuraa) March 10, 2024
The organizers of the Olympic Games shocked by racist attacks »
The organizers of the Paris Olympic Games said to themselves “ shocked » Monday by the « racist attacks » uttered by the extreme right. “ We were very shocked by the racist attacks targeting Aya Nakamura in recent days. Total support for the most listened to French artist in the world », Reacted the organizing committee of the Paris Olympics.
With this reaction, the singer exports this debate internationally. Followed by nearly 1.3 million people on .
Dadju, one of the heavyweights of R’n’B in France, rallied behind the singer on his networks. “ It wasn’t even a fight, but now she has to sing, we’ll support her. It’s not Bamako, it’s not Bamako. Bunch of dogs “, he wrote.
That’s why we’re late here.
You lynch the biggest artist in the country with fourth grade arguments…
It wasn’t even a fight but she has to sing, we’ll support her.
It’s not Bamako, it’s not Bamako. Bunch of dogs pic.twitter.com/YNhfnldGKR— DADJU (@Dadju) March 10, 2024
Will attacks from the far right be counterproductive? The anti-Aya Nakamura mocks the liberties she takes with the language of Françoise Hardy, as in “Djadja”, mixing vocabulary and images from the four corners of the world. This forgets that popular music has always been nourished by easy, even simplistic, lyrics. We can cite the hits “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da” by the Beatles or “De do do do, De da da da” by the Police.
No comment from the Ministry of Culture
Aya Nakamura was defended by artists and the Minister of Sports. “ It’s amazing, it’s unforgivable that racists can attack an artist for her origins and her skin color, while the Olympics transcend borders », Underlines Angelo Gopee, boss of Live Nation France, the national branch of one of the largest show producers in the world. “ It’s not a tweet from a minister that’s needed, all politicians should be upbeat », he concludes, in reference to the message on X from the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. “ No matter how much we love you, dear Aya Nakamura, don’t care about the whole world. With you », Posted the government member.
LFI deputy Antoine Léaument also defends the star: “ You cannot be racist and patriotic in France “. Licra (International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism) also gives its full support to the singer, “ victim of a small archaeo-racist group “. Questioned by AFP on the sidelines of a press conference on the French cultural program during the games, Culture Minister Rachida Dati did not wish to comment.
In 2024, is it still a topic because she’s a woman of color, because she’s a singer who some people don’t like? It’s the one that sells the most records in the world, I think. She pleases many. I don’t think that one singer alone represents everyone. I think she has a very good voice for singing Piaf, why not. She is not going to change the words of Edith Piaf, rest assured!
Some political leaders also see racism, such as France Insoumise MP Danielle Simmonet.
Read also2024 Olympic Games in Paris: from initial promises to the reality on the ground