Lady Gaga’s Performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics Nearly Canceled Due to Rain
Lady Gaga’s breathtaking performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris almost didn’t happen due to adverse weather conditions. According to her choreographer, Maud le Pladec, the superstar’s show at the opening ceremony faced significant safety concerns caused by the rain.
The 38-year-old singer wowed the audience on July 26 with a spectacular performance along the Seine river. She descended a golden staircase while performing a powerful rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes.”
Despite the seamless execution, it was a nerve-wracking experience behind the scenes. Le Pladec, who worked closely with Gaga in the months leading up to the event, revealed to Variety that the show was on the brink of cancellation due to the inclement weather.
“Unfortunately, it was the only performance that, for safety reasons, we had to pre-record late in the afternoon, once we knew for sure that it was going to rain,” le Pladec explained.
The team relied on “minute-by-minute updates” to make the final call. “We had never watched the weather forecast so closely in our lives,” she said. The slippery conditions, combined with Gaga’s high heels and proximity to the water, made the live performance extremely risky.
Despite these challenges, Gaga insisted on delivering her performance live. To mitigate the risks, the team decided to pre-record the sequence when the weather forecast confirmed rain. This cautious approach ensured the safety of the performers without compromising the spectacle.
On the day of the ceremony, Gaga performed live, singing and playing the piano, dressed in an exquisite Dior Haute Couture ensemble. Her outfit featured a black feather jacket over a satin bustier and matching panties, completed with heels.
Le Pladec shared the potential dangers they had to consider: “The soil would have been slippery. She was wearing heels, very near the water, there were stairs.
We had to be extremely cautious.” The performance went off without a hitch, marking a historic moment as the first Olympic opening ceremony to take place outside a stadium.
Reflecting on the event, Gaga expressed her gratitude in a heartfelt social media post. “I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year,” she wrote. She acknowledged the honor of performing a special French song to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of France.
“Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music,” she added. Gaga emphasized her commitment to creating a performance that would resonate with the French audience and pay tribute to the city of Paris.
In her post, Gaga also highlighted the intensive preparation that went into her performance. “I studied French choreography and rehearsed tirelessly to deliver a brilliant performance,” she wrote.
She hoped her fans would appreciate the effort and passion she poured into the show. “To everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honor of you — it’s a gift I’ll never forget.”
The Olympics performance wasn’t the only highlight of Gaga’s weekend. She also announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Michael Polansky.
The news broke during the Paris Olympics when Gaga introduced Polansky as her fiancé to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. The announcement was captured in a TikTok video posted by Attal on July 28, showing the couple watching a swimming event together.
Following the engagement news, Gaga shared her appreciation for her French fans on Instagram Stories. She thanked them for their support during her stay in Paris and teased her forthcoming studio album, referred to as #LG7. “I’m so deeply touched by my French fans this week outside the hotel.
I’m gonna come out and say goodbye tonight with a few seconds of #LG7,” she wrote. True to her word, she went outside to play new music for her fans, snippets of which were shared on social media.
As she hinted at her return to the studio, a source close to the singer told PEOPLE that Gaga is feeling more creative than ever. “She’s feeling the most creative she’s ever been,” the source said, adding that Gaga has “never been happier.”
Lady Gaga’s performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics will be remembered as a remarkable achievement. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, her dedication and passion shone through, creating an unforgettable moment in Olympic history.
