Published31. July 2024, 12:34
France: The amount that Philippe Katerine received at the Olympic Games
The 55-year-old singer has given even more details about his controversial performance at the opening ceremony.
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Philippe Katerine during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on July 26, 2024 in Paris.
YouTube screenshot
“When I saw the footage again, I said to myself: ‘There was a mistake, a misunderstanding.’ I didn’t show myself naked, I didn’t want to shock anyone. It’s not my thing at all,” Philippe Katerine tells Konbini, regarding the controversy surrounding his performance. “It’s a song of appeasement and peace. Thomas Jolly’s vision for this song revolved around Dionysus and also the decadence of pagan festivals. I immediately liked the idea of being in blue and sequins. I found it beautiful.” And who could refuse a blue and sequin look? Certainly not Philippe Katerine, the apostle of eccentricity.
As for the idea that artists should leave with full pockets, he quickly brings us back down to earth. “I was paid 200 euros. I don’t know how much the others were paid, I hope it’s equal. And at the same time, I don’t care. The idea was not to make money. The idea was to do something very exciting, to transmit a message of peace.”
Not a cent for Celine
Last week, “Libération” served us another juicy rumor: Celine Dion was supposedly paid two million euros to sing “Hymn to Love” from the top of the Eiffel Tower. The Games Organizing Committee (Cojop) quickly threw a bucket of cold water on this story. “Whether they are nationally or internationally renowned, the singers who will perform at the opening ceremony will not receive a fee for their performance,” Cojop specified. So not a cent for Celine, just the honor of singing at the top of Paris. But don’t worry, “Paris 2024 will cover all the technical production and performance organization costs.”
