The Paris Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday was a dazzling, star-studded event that brought the 2024 Games to a spectacular end. The ceremony, held inside the Stade de France with 80,000 spectators, featured remarkable performances from global music icons such as Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, H.E.R., and Phoenix, captivating audiences worldwide.
The show began with Phoenix performing their 2009 hit “Lisztomania,” energizing the crowd as athletes joined in, singing and dancing along. The rock band, originally from France but now based in the US, included surprise guest appearances from French synthwave artist Kavinsky and Belgian singer Angèle, who performed a rendition of “Nightcall.”
Rapper VannDa joined in for “Funky Squaredance,” while French indie artists AIR contributed with their song “Playground Love.” Vampire Weekend’s frontman Ezra Koenig also mesmerized the crowd with his collaboration with Phoenix on “Tonight.” Phoenix’s frontman, Thomas Mars, ended their set by mingling with Olympians in the crowd.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage with their 2002 hit “Can’t Stop,” followed by Billie Eilish, who delivered a powerful performance of “Birds of a Feather” from her recent album. Snoop Dogg later wowed the audience with his iconic hits “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Gin & Juice,” accompanied by a guest appearance from Dr. Dre. Snoop Dogg had also been assisting NBC with its primetime coverage throughout the Summer Games.
However, the showstopper of the night was Tom Cruise’s pre-recorded clip. The Hollywood star thrilled viewers with death-defying stunts, from bike riding to skydiving atop the Hollywood sign, as he symbolically passed the baton to the next host city, Los Angeles, for the 2028 Olympics. Cruise’s action-packed appearance was set to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ track “By The Way,” making it a memorable conclusion to the ceremony.
