“There’s no way Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market.” Aya Nakamura, who is expected to sing Edith Piaf at the Paris Olympic Games, has become the target of the far right. On Sunday, boos arose at the mention of the Franco-Malian singer during a campaign meeting for the European elections of Reconquête, Eric Zemmour’s party, in Paris.
The day before, around ten identity activists held up a banner on the banks of the Seine, in front of Paris town hall, denouncing the singer’s Malian origins. “There’s no way Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market,” claimed the nationalists, taking up “There’s no way,” lyrics from the song Djadja, the singer’s hit, and the slogan “ Here it is Paris” which is chanted at the Parc des Princes for PSG matches.
Aya Nakamura reacted strongly to this demonstration by retorting on social networks: “You can be racist but not deaf… That’s what hurts you! I become a number 1 state subject in debates, etc. But what do I really owe you? Kedal.
Several public figures have come to the singer’s defense. On his social networks, the singer Dadju, one of the heavyweights of R
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sports, posted her support for the singer on the networks: “No matter how much we love you, dear Aya Nakamura, don’t care about the whole world.” LFI MP Antoine Léaument also spoke, addressing identity activists directly and affirming that we “cannot be racist and patriotic in France”. He adds: “They claim to love their country but they want to exclude from it the most listened to French-speaking singer in the world since Edith Piaf.”
According to L’Express, Aya Nakamura would have discussed with Emmanuel Macron in February her possible participation in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which are to be held in France from July 26 to August 11, with the possibility of regaining a title from Edith Piaf. But neither the Elysée nor the most listened to French-speaking singer in the world have confirmed.