The Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony took place on Sunday (August 11), and it featured a number of performances by high-profile artists, beginning with France’s own Phoenix, Air, and Kavinsky. In addition to playing their own hits, like “Lisztomania” and “1901,” Phoenix invited Air to play “Playground Love” and Kavinsky to perform “Nightcall” with help from them and French pop star Angèle. Phoenix also brought out VannDa for their song “Funky Squaredance” and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig for their recent collaborative single “Tonight.” See photos of their set, during which Olympians climbed onstage to dance along, inside Stade de France below.
To signify the handover from Paris to 2028 host Los Angeles, H.E.R. performed the American national anthem at Stade de France while also playing guitar with a backing band. The camera then cut to Tom Cruise doing various stunts inside the stadium and, in pre-recorded segments, en route to the U.S. to bring the Olympics to Los Angeles (to the dismay of French anti-cult groups).
From there, Red Hot Chili Peppers played “Can’t Stop” on a Los Angeles beach in front of a crowd, with singer Anthony Kiedis running around the stage with his shirt pulled over his head. Billie Eilish then sang “Birds of a Feather” next while standing atop a lifeguard box, joined by her brother Finneas and other musicians.
Snoop Dogg emerged from behind a massive sphinx-like sand sculpture next to rap “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “The Next Episode,” the latter of which he was joined by Dr. Dre to perform. Snoop had a consistent presence throughout this year’s Olympics, too, from helping carry the torch during the Paris 2024 opening ceremony to providing commentary at the Equestrian events.
Other performances during the Olympics closing ceremony included pianist Alain Roche, who played piano while hanging suspended mid-air, and Yseult’s show-ending rendition of “Comme d’habitude,” the French song that Frank Sinatra famously adapted into “My Way.”
Afterwards, Phoenix shared the following statement about their experience: “We are infinitely happy to have had the chance to celebrate with all the athletes and the entire world at the Closing of the Olympic Games in our beloved city of Paris. It was a wonderful moment to have been invited to take the stage with our friends from France and around the world, honoring the French spirit and remaining true to our motto: Liberté, Égalité, Phoenix! We are thrilled to both pass the baton to the Paralympics athletes and to Los Angeles for the forthcoming 2028 games.”
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