Gojira Play 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris

Gojira have become the first heavy metal band to take part in the Olympics opening ceremony, performing alongside opera singer Marina Viotti in Paris, France. The momentous event can be seen in the photo gallery toward the bottom of the page.

To perform at such an event is an incredible honor and this will forever stand as one of the biggest moments in metal history. The fact that Gojira are a 21st century band, too, is a remarkable sign for the health of this music scene as we’ve continuously asked ourselves who the headliners of the future are once our beloved legacy acts all retire.

While Gojira’s sound has evolved and incorporates melody alongside atmospheric touches and distorted clean singing, calling them an “accessible” band, by mainstream standards, still feels like quite a stretch. They’re a rhythmically intense group with deep intricacies and genuine, pummeling brutality. And they showed it, even playing a breakdown while perched on window balconies high up a massive castle as flames shot up the walls.

Congrats to Gojira for shining so brightly in the spotlight and for representing metal at this year’s Olympics!

Below, learn more about the performance and see photos from the opening ceremony.

Who Did Gojira Perform With?

Yesterday, it was revealed that the French metal band were booked to play at the hours-long kickoff event, which will be watched by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion are among many noteworthy stars also lending their talents to the ceremony’s musical component.

It was first reported that Gojira would take part in a collaborative performance with opera singer Marina Viotti. The biography on her website even stats that “after studying flute, Marina Viotti first experimented with jazz, gospel and heavy metal.” Obviously that final detail helps connect the dots between the 38-year-old singer and the rhythmic metal juggernauts.

The two worlds collided, stunning commentators who were rendered speechless. It felt dark and unsettling and, also, utterly dominant.

Photos: Gojira at 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony