The 2024 Olympic Games events begin in Paris this weekend, with sports and music fans alike keen to know who will perform at Friday's opening ceremony.
Rather than walking an athletic track or the standard stadium setup seen in previous years, 2024's competitors will parade through the French capital on boats down the River Seine. Although Paris may be breaking with tradition, a showstopping performance from at least one music icon is almost guaranteed.
Several big names are rumored to be taking part in the 2024 opening ceremony—Newsweek has gathered the most likely in a handy list below.
Celine Dion
The French Canadian singer has been struggling with her health in recent years, after being diagnosed with "Stiff-Person Syndrome" in 2022. The rare autoimmune disorder causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms, with the pop legend canceling the remainder of her Courage world tour following the diagnosis.
However, the 56-year-old has reportedly been offered $2 million to stage her comeback at the Olympic opening ceremony, according to TMZ.
Organizers are also said to be footing the Grammy winner's travel bill and covering all of her expenses, with the rumored $2 million fee to cover just one song from the "My Heart Will Go On" hitmaker.
Lady Gaga
Another pop icon rumored to be featuring in the 2024 opening ceremony is Lady Gaga. The 38-year-old singer—real name Stefani Germanotta—was spotted in Paris on Tuesday.
The Grammy winner's mom, Cynthia Germanotta, has French ancestry, with Gaga regularly performing French singer Edith Piaf's 1946 hit "La Vie En Rose" during her Las Vegas residency.
Aya Nakamura
The most-listened to French singer in the world, the 29-year-old pop star has had 25 top 10 singles in France, while her 2018 album, Nakamura, has over 1 billion streams on Spotify.
So, it's no surprise that Nakumura is expected to appear during Friday's opening ceremony, with French president suggesting the singer was his top choice.
However, reports that she might perform sparked a wave of racist abuse against the Mali-born hitmaker. Macron condemned the wave of attacks, telling the French media: "The reactions have shocked me."
Taylor Swift
The 34-year-old pop sensation has a brief break between Eras Tour dates, although there doesn't seem to be much else linking the singer to the 2024 opening ceremony.
Christine and the Queens
The French pop star, whose real name is Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier, previously performed his track "Full of Life" at a 2023 event promoting this year's Olympic Games.
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