After much speculation, Lady Gaga is confirmed to make an appearance—and perform—at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony. Since her arrival in Paris, the pop star has attempted to keep a low profile by going casual, but Lady Gaga fans know she isn't one to usually go for baggy jeans and dad hats without a purpose. Turns out, her under-the-radar looks came while in preparation for one of the biggest performances of her career—and her Dior ensemble for the occasion was quite elaborate.
On Friday, July 26, Lady Gaga was photographed from afar in Paris, rehearsing with her team on a golden staircase. In one snapshot, the "Rain On Me" singer was captured, microphone in hand, with her dancers holding up plumes of pink feathers around her.
The decorative pom-poms were later removed, revealing an all-black ensemble by Dior underneath—or so you think. At first glance, Lady Gaga is seen wearing a strapless bustier and matching micro-mini shorts paired with sheer black tights and long, shoulder-reaching opera gloves.
But being the fashion extremist that she is, the musician went even more overboard, adding an ultra-long black-and-pink feathered cape in the back. The train was so long and elaborate that her dancers climbed the stairs to hold it on full display.
From tip to toe, Lady Gaga's entire Olympics Opening Ceremony costume was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior. Her dancers were also outfitted by the French house.
Gaga's glam consisted of a bold red lip and pink blush. She slicked back her platinum blonde hair into a neat bun and wore black feather antennas at the top.
Shortly afterward, as the Olympics Opening Ceremony got underway and guests lined the Seine to see the official competitors sail by, Lady Gaga performed the French song "Mon Truc En Plume" in all her flamingo-feathered glory.
Lady Gaga shared a lengthy statement on her social media accounts explaining the significance of her song choice and her costuming. "Mon Truc En Plumes," which was first performed in 1961 by the French ballerina-turned-singer Zizi Jeanmaire, translates to "My Thing With Feathers." Jeanmaire also starred in "Anything Goes"—which Gaga later re-recorded as her first jazz release.
"Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music—I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth—Paris," Lady Gaga wrote in her statement.
She also noted that the feathered pom-poms carried by the dancers were rented from the archive at Le Lido, a French cabaret theatre, and that she worked closely with Dior on the custom costumes.
Lady Gaga called the opportunity to open the Olympics a "supreme honor," adding that she spent hours immersing herself in French cabaret to nail the performance. "I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on a French classic. I rehearsed tirelessly to study a joyful French dance, brushing up on some old skills—I bet you didn’t know I used to dance at a 60’s French party on the lower east side when I was first starting out," she said.
Lady Gaga's Seine sighting follows a number of street-style appearances in the City of Light. Shortly after touching down in Paris earlier this week, the award-winning performer was spotted going incognito fashion-wise. In one instance, she wore an oversized black leather jacket with a dad cap and a pair of black sunglasses.
The pop star's look hasn't yet hit the big stage at press time, but her soon-to-be big fashion moment at the Opening Ceremony took cues from the larger-than-life nature of her outfits during her Las Vegas residency and recent Nemacolin Summer Solstice event, possibly using the stage to drop hints of her upcoming Olympics look. Over the months, the "Poker Face" singer was captured in vibrant costumes and cycling through various huge headpieces studded with both pink and black feathers.
Lady Gaga's highly-anticipated performance—and her rumored joint performances with R&B star Aya Nakamura and Céline Dion, per Variety—at the 2024 Olympics is just moments away. Birds of a feather flock together, and Lady Gaga's happen to be black and pink.
