Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

29/07/2024 | News release | Archived content

Sony Music Artists Take on the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony

  • Sony Music Artists Take on the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony
  • Jul 29, 2024

From May to July 2024, various Sony Music artists participated in the celebrations to kick off the highly anticipated Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Sony Music France artists Adèle Castillon, Alonzo, Gazo, Jain, M. Pokora, Patrick Bruel, Patrick Fiori and Pierre Garnier were among the 11,000 torchbearers in the iconic Olympic Torch Relay. This ceremonial tradition-which followed the journey of the Olympic torch from Greece to France-heralded the commencement of the Games in Paris.

Being able to participate in the relay was a memorable and personal experience for our artists. Here's what a few of them had to say:

"For me, Olympism is about sharing, fraternity and exchange. Values that I share."
- Patrick Bruel

"The people are there, it's in Paris, it's in France. I'm so happy. It's historic, I'd only [get to] do it once in my life!"
- Pierre Garnier

"It's wonderful to see all those smiles, all those people gathered around this symbol, the Olympic flame and all the values it represents. It's an honour and an immense source of pride to do it here in Strasbourg. It's a very powerful emotion, it's a bit inexplicable."
- M. Pokora, who carried the flame in his hometown

"Honestly, I can't believe it. Carrying the flame, I [said] to myself, 'What the hell am I going to do, a kid from the northern suburbs, carrying the Olympic flame with all that it represents!'"
- Alonzo, who also recalled watching the Olympics throughout his childhood

Along the way, Adèle Castillon, Alonzo, Gazo and Jain gave special performances, further contributing to this unique moment.

Closing out the opening ceremony was Celine Dion, who performed a beautiful rendition of Édith Piaf's "L'Hymne à l'amour" on the balcony of the Eiffel Tower. This marked her first live performance following a four-year hiatus from the stage, which she explains in the new I Am: Celine documentary available on Prime Video.

A huge round of applause to all our artists who participated in the events and celebrations leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics.