During the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, singer Aya Nakamura caused confusion among Japanese viewers with her performance.
Despite her very Japanese-sounding name, Aya Nakamura, whose real name is Aya Danioko, is actually from Mali and has no ties to Japan.
She adopted the stage name “Nakamura” after the character Hiro Nakamura from the TV series “Heroes.”
While her name may sound Japanese, Nakamura’s roots lie in Mali, a former French colony with Bambara as the predominant spoken language.
Japanese netizens were quick to point out the lack of connection between Aya Nakamura and Japan, with some criticizing her for cultural appropriation.
Observant viewers also noted that Nakamura, along with Lady Gaga and other performers, appeared to lip-sync their performances, unlike Celine Dion who sang live despite feeling unwell.
Many Japanese social media users drew parallels between Aya Nakamura and actor/singer Yusuke Nakayama, known by his stage name Yusuke Santamaria.
The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics featured performances outside the stadium for the first time in history, with various events along the Seine River in Paris.
It is noteworthy that Japan hosted the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and international politics, which are strictly prohibited from being displayed during the Olympic Games.
