The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony Was a French Electronic Music Fête for the Ages: Photos
The closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games leaned fully into French electronic music, and with dazzling results.
The ceremony, which happened at Paris’ Stade De France on Sept. 8, assembled not only athletes, but a legendary crew of French dance producers that included the pioneering Jean Michel Jarre, Ed Banger founder Busy P, dance-pop master Martin Solveig, Kavinsky — whose 2010 classic “Nightcall” experienced a streaming surge when he also performed it at the Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Olympics Games — and other French Touch stars including étienne de Crécy, DJ Falcon and Alan Braxe, Breakbot, Irfane, Chloé Caillet and more.
More from Billboard
Paris Hilton Returns to Album Charts for First Time in 18 Years
Hear Exclusive Desert Hearts 2024 Sets From The Desert Hearts Crew, Doc Martin, ?ona Dahl & More
The ceremony also included the first performance from Cassius’ Boombass since the duo’s Philippe Zdar died in 2019 after an accidental fall.
The artists assembled played many of their classics, with Breakbot performing their 2010 era-defining hit “Baby I’m Yours,” while an assistant held an umbrella over a very sharply dressed Irfane as he delivered the vocals. Solveig lit up the stadium with pyro while playing his 2011 hit “Hello,” and the night reached a euphoric peak with the play of Daft Punk’s enduring “One More Time.”
“I see you my Malaysian, English and Ukrainian friends!” Busy P wrote on Instagram in a post of images from the rainy night. “If you still wonder what French Touch is, this is it! It’s us, you, them! Reuniting 24 DJs coming from various worlds, breaking boundaries is French Touch! Being emotional and dance at the same time to celebrate our brothers DJ Mehdi & Zdar is French Touch! Partying hard despite heavy rain is French Touch! Wearing cheap plastic ponchos on top of our Louis Vuitton suits is French Touch! Doing conga line while French techno queen [Anetha] is hammering le Stade de France is French Touch!
“French Touch is not only a music genre,” he concluded. “It’s a state of mind. I salute and send warm kisses to all my fellow DJs who embraced that feeling Sunday night.”
See photos from the night below.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Sign up for Billboard's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.