PARIS – Paris has just wrapped up an extraordinary two and a half weeks of Olympic sports and emotions with a star-studded show in France’s national stadium and from Long Beach in Southern California. The French capital has formally passed the baton of hosting the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.
Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish & Red Hot!
Snoop Dogg, who has entertained audiences at the Paris Olympics with multiple appearances on NBC, continued his stellar performance in a pre-taped show from his hometown in California. After belting out “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” the rapper welcomed Dr. Dre as they flowed into their classic “The Next Episode” in Long Beach, California.
Billie Eilish took the stage with her performance of “Birds of a Feather” from her third studio album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” Red Hot Chili Peppers got the crowd moving with their rendition of the 2003 hit “Can’t Stop.”
Tom Cruise makes a grand entrance
Displaying his trademark daring, Tom Cruise descended from the top of Stade de France while H.E.R. strummed her guitar. He then sped through the audience on a motorcycle as H.E.R. continued with her guitar melody. In a thrilling prerecorded segment, Cruise explored the streets of Paris before embarking on a plane and parachuting into a farmland.
H.E.R. sings the U.S. national anthem
Armed with her guitar, H.E.R. delivered a soul-stirring performance of the U.S. national anthem as Simone Biles and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass stood by her side. She mesmerized the audience with her custom-built Stratocaster during the Paris handover to Los Angeles.
Other stellar music acts!
- If you missed the closing ceremony performances, fret not! Parisian singer-model Yseult brought the show to an end with a powerful rendition of Frank Sinatra’s classic “My Way,” a French adaptation of “Comme d’habitude.”
- French band Phoenix electrified the stage to such an extent that some athletes couldn’t resist joining them. Security had to intervene to keep Olympians off the stage. The Grammy-winning band’s performances of “Lisztomania” and “If I Ever Feel Better” were a spectacle, with Ezra Koenig also adding his touch with the song “Tonight.”
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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