Franco-Malian star Aya Nakamura finds herself at the heart of a political debate, when she could sing Edith Piaf at the opening of the Paris Olympic Games. The singer is stigmatized by the far right and defended by artists and the French Minister of Sports.
According to the French weekly L’Express, Aya Nakamura, the most listened to French-speaking singer in the world, would have discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron her possible participation in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games (July 26-August 11) . Still according to the newspaper, she could take over Edith Piaf on this occasion. Neither the President of the Republic nor the singer have confirmed this rumor.
But this idea makes reactionaries in France bristle. 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 de 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’s no way” refers to his hit “Djadja”, with more than 950 million views on YouTube.
External content
This external content cannot be displayed because it may collect personal data. To view this content you must authorize the category Social networks.
Accept More info
Aya Nakamura reacts
Aya Nakamura reacted to this banner on her social networks: “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 owe you for that? true? Kedal”.
External content
This external content cannot be displayed because it may collect personal data. To view this content you must authorize the category Social networks.
Accept More info
Support from the world of music
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 mtn she has to sing, we will support. It’s not Bamako, it’s not Bamako. Bunch of dogs.”
External content
This external content cannot be displayed because it may collect personal data. To view this content you must authorize the category Social networks.
Accept More info
“It’s a controversy that is part of a rancid France but it’s not them who will decide. I hope that she will sing at the Olympics, it’s becoming imperative”, asserts to AFP Carole Boinet, director of the editor of Inrockuptibles, French cultural magazine. For her, Aya Nakamura invented a “formidable” language. She has some “crazy” hits. France should be proud of having an internationally known artist,” says Carole Boinet.
Same speech from Boris Vedel, director of the French Printemps de Bourges festival, to AFP: “If we prohibited French culture from being enriched by others or by those who mischievously have fun with the French language, we would not ‘wouldn’t have Renaud, Brassens, Baudelaire’.
The French Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, also supported the singer in a message on .
External content
This external content cannot be displayed because it may collect personal data. To view this content you must authorize the category Social networks.
Accept More info