IMAGINE

Performed on a floating stage on the River Seine, Juliette Armanet and Sofiane Pamart’s rendition of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s iconic song ‘Imagine’ was one of the most memorable moments of the Paris 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony, with Pamart’s grand piano set alight in flames, adding to the spectacle.

Since its release in 1971, Imagine has become closely associated with the Olympic Games, with the song reflecting shared values of peace, hope and solidarity. Its inclusion in the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony continues a longstanding Olympic tradition, with past performances including those by Stevie Wonder at Atlanta 1996 and Peter Gabriel at Turin 2006. The song was also performed at the Closing Ceremony of London 2012, where a remastered video of Lennon was accompanied by the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir and the Liverpool Signing Choir.

At the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, Korean artists Ha Hyun-woo of Guckkasten, Ahn Ji-young of Bolbbalgan4, Jeon In-kwon of Deulgukhwa and soloist Lee Eun-mi each sang verses of the song; while global artists Angélique Kidjo, Alejandro Sanz, John Legend, Keith Urban and the Suginami Children’s Choir collaborated on a version for the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony.

Speaking just days before his death in 1980, Lennon himself made a reference to the song’s link to the values of Olympism, noting: “We’re not the first to say ‘Imagine No Countries’ or ‘Give Peace a Chance’, but we’re carrying that torch, like the Olympic torch, passing it hand to hand, to each other, to each country, to each generation. And that’s our job.”

Speaking ahead of the song’s release, Patrick Stalder, Chief Ceremony Officer at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said: “Juliette Armanet and Sofiane Pamart’s powerful rendition on the River Seine for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was a breathtaking continuation of this tradition – poetic, emotional and visually iconic. As we prepare for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, we look forward to seeing how this timeless anthem will once again unite audiences and celebrate the shared values of peace, hope and solidarity at the heart of the Olympic Games.”

Both artists emphasised the shared vision for their version of “Imagine”.

“We wanted a stripped-down version, close to the emotion of the moment, guided by the song’s meaning and melody,” Armanet explained. Pamart added: “It was this shared emotion that inspired us during the performance.”