Image of Aya Nakamura, French-Malian singer-songwriter. Screenshot from the artist’sYouTube Channel

On July 26, 2024, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games officially began with an opening ceremony featuring Aya Nakamura, a French-Malian artist whose selection sparked fierce debate in a country polarized over the issue of immigration.

Aya Coco Danioko, known by the stage name Aya Nakamura, is a singer-songwriter born in Bamako, the capital of Mali, on May 10, 1995. Following in the footsteps of her mother, a traditional singer and storyteller in Mali, in 2014, a then 19-year-old Aya became known to pop music fans through her song “Karma.” Several other popular releases soon followed, including songs like “Love d'un Voyou” (“In Love with a Thug”), a collaboration with French rapper Fababy; “Super Héros” with French rapper Gradur; and “Oumou Sangaré,” a song in tribute to legendary Malian singer Oumou Sangaré.

Her career got into full swing with her debut album “Journal Intime” (Diary), released in August 2017. She released a second album, “Nakamura“, in 2018, and 2020, she released a third, “Aya“, which featured a collaboration with British rapper Stormzy. A fourth album, DNK, released in 2023, established her as an international star. At the time of writing, her music videos have racked up nearly 4 billion of views on YouTube, where she her over 7.5 million subscribers. On Spotify, she racks up nearly 10 million monthly listeners, making her the most listened-to French artist on the international music scene.

This remarkable statistic made her an obvious choice a key performer at the the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. But given France's current political climate, it also made her the target of racist abuse. Following the announcement in March 2024 of her selection for the opening ceremony, members of a French political movement called Les Natifs (The Natives), condemned the decision. On X (formerly Twitter), they stated:

🔵Y'a pas moyen Aya, ici c'est Paris, pas le marché de Bamako !

Suite à l'annonce de la possible présence de la chanteuse Aya Nakamura à la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques de Paris, une quinzaine de Natifs ont manifesté dans le IVè arrondissement afin de dénoncer le choix de notre président : remplacer l'élégance française par la vulgarité, africaniser nos chansons populaires et évincer le peuple de souche au profit de l'immigration extra-européenne.

Les touristes peuvent se rassurer, face à l'insécurité, ils pourront entendre résonner dans tout Paris la douce voix d'Aya, reprenant l'Hymne à l'amour d'Édith Piaf, version “afrobeat”. Quelle sera la prochaine étape ? Une reprise du Chant des partisans par Magic System ?

Comme à son habitude, Emmanuel Macron manifeste une nouvelle fois son mépris du peuple français et de sa culture.

Les Natifs s’opposent à cette absurdité et demandent que la France soit representée par un artiste incarnant notre héritage, nos valeurs et notre identité !

le… pic.twitter.com/9825VJAlA1

— Les Natifs (@LNatifs) March 9, 2024

Banner – 🔵No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market!

Following the announcement of  Aya Nakamura’s potential presence at the Paris Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, a dozen members of Les Natifs protested in the fourth arrondissement to condemn the president’s decision. Replacing French elegance with vulgarity, Africanizing our popular songs, and ousting native people in favor of non-European immigrants.

Given the current insecurity, tourists can rest assured they will be able to hear Aya’s sweet “Afrobeat” version of  Édith Piaf’s Hymne à l'Amour (Hymn to Love) echo across Paris. What’s next? Magic System’s cover of Song of the Partisans?

As usual, Emmanuel Macron shows his contempt for the French people and their culture.

Les Natifs oppose this nonsense and demand that an artist who embodies our heritage, values, and identity represent France!

Politicians also weighed in. National Rally (RN) parliamentary party leader Marine Le Pen, seized the opportunity to criticize President Emmanuel Macron for the choice, accusing him of degrading France's reputation:

Ce n’est pas un symbole positif. C’est une provocation de plus de la part d’Emmanuel Macron, qui semble se lever chaque matin avec pour objectif d’humilier le peuple français. Je ne vais pas m’étendre sur son entourage. Je vais simplement évoquer son style, sa vulgarité, et le fait qu’elle ne chante ni en français ni dans une autre langue reconnaissable. C’est loin d’être un exemple de diversité, c’est simplement du grand n’importe quoi.

This is not a positive representation. It’s just another insult from Emmanuel Macron, who seems to get up every morning intent on humiliating the French people. I’m not going to go on at length about her entourage. I will simply draw attention to her style, vulgarity, and the fact that she sings neither in French nor any other recognizable language. This is far from an example of diversity. It’s sheer nonsense.

Another accusation thrown at the artist is that she allegedly doesn't speak proper French, which, according to this comment on French public radio demonstrates a total lack of understanding of how she approaches hybridity:

Mais qu'elle est-elle, cette langue qui est au cœur de la “polémique”? […]. Car ce qu’on reproche à cette chanteuse d’origine malienne, c’est de ne pas bien parler le français, c’est de chanter des paroles qu’on ne comprend pas […] Pas grand monde pour rappeler que la langue d’Aya Nakamura est une langue chantée, il ne s’agit donc pas de la “comprendre” – depuis quand n’écoute-t-on que les chansons dont on comprend les paroles – ce qui importe pour le dire rapidement, c'est moins dans une chanson le signifié que le signifiant… Bref, pas grand monde pour amener la question sur ce qui me paraît être le bon terrain, une discussion informée sur la chanson populaire, de tout temps licencieuse, bigarrée, pleine d’inventions, d’argot, une langue pour la musique et dès lors au sens premier, poétique.

But what is it, this language that is at the heart of the “controversy”? […]. Because what this singer of Malian origin is accused of is not speaking French well, and singing words that we do not understand […] Not many people seem to remember that Aya Nakamura’s language is a sung language, so it is not a question of “understanding” it – since when do we only listen to songs whose words we understand – what matters, to put it quickly, is less in a song the signified than the signifier… In short, not many people seem to ask the question in relation to what seems to me to be the right space, to start an informed discussion on popular song, that are always licentious, colorful, full of inventions, slang, that is a language for music and therefore in the first sense, poetic.

Aya Nakamura‘s response to these hateful comments was clear. On X (formerly Twitter), she wrote:

Vous pouvez être raciste mais pas sourd 🧏.. C’est sa qui vous fait mal ! Je deviens un sujet d’état numéro 1 en débats ect mais je vous dois quoi en vrai ? Kedal https://t.co/rgnGeAAOfD

— Aya Nakamura (@AyaNakamuraa) March 10, 2024

You may be racist, but you won’t silence me 🧏.. That’s what annoys you! I’ve become the number one topic of state discussion. But what do I actually owe you?

Image: No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market. Les Natifs took action last night to challenge the fact that Aya Nakamura will represent France by performing an Edith Piaf song at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony.

https://t.co/rgnGeAAOfD

— Aya Nakamura (@AyaNakamuraa) March 10, 2024

Dadju, another French artist, didn’t take kindly either to the racist messages directed at the French flag bearer of international music. On X, he posted:

C’est pour ca qu’on est en retard ici.
Vous lynchez la plus grosse artiste du pays avec des arguments de CM1…
C’était meme pas un combat mais mtn faut qu’elle chante, nous on va soutenir.
C’est pas bamako, c’est pas bamako. Bande de chiens pic.twitter.com/YNhfnldGKR

— DADJU (@Dadju) March 10, 2024

This is why we are lagging behind here.
You are mindlessly criticizing the country’s biggest artist with fourth-grade arguments…
But now she must sing, and we will support her.
This isn’t Bamako, this isn’t Bamako. You bunch of dogs. pic.twitter.com/YNhfnldGKR

— DADJU (@Dadju) March 10, 2024

France's minister of culture, Rachida Dati, expressed her support for Aya. In the French newspaper LeMonde, Dati issued a warning to those making racist comments:

S’attaquer à une artiste pour ce qu’elle est inacceptable, c’est un délit.

Criticizing an artist for who she is is unacceptable. It’s a crime.

Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the opening ceremony, also expressed his anger at the racism targeted at Aya Nakamura:

Profondément choqué par le racisme dont est victime Aya Nakamura. Les cérémonies s’élèveront contre toute forme de discrimination. La France, à travers une mosaïque de talents, célébrera la beauté et la richesse de sa diversité. https://t.co/mvyAWQvxk8

— Thomas JOlly (@Thomajolly) March 11, 2024

I am deeply shocked by the racism that Aya Nakamura has experienced. The ceremonies will challenge any form of discrimination. With its vast array of talent, France will celebrate the beauty and richness of its diversity.

2024 Paris Olympic Games: The organizing committee is extremely shocked by the controversy surrounding Aya Nakamura.

https://t.co/mvyAWQvxk8

— Thomas JOlly (@Thomajolly) March 11, 2024

The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into case in response to a request from the International League against Racism and Antisemitism (LICRA).

At the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, Nakamura performed a medley of songs, including some of of her own hits and iconic songs by Charles Aznavour, as can be seen in this video.

Listen to more of Aya Nakamura’s songs on this playlist. Other world music playlists are available via the Global Voices Spotify account.