GOJIRA released the music video for the song “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)”, which they performed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Their performance with a song from the French Revolution era made history in July 2024, as it marked the first-ever appearance of a metal band at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
“Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” is inspired by the revolutionary song of the French Revolution “Ah! Ça ira!”, which celebrates one of the most iconic events in French history and the country’s emphasis on freedom. This adaptation earned GOJIRA their fourth Grammy nomination, this time in the Best Metal Performance category at the upcoming 67th Grammy Awards.
Accompanied by composer Victor le Masne, Franco-Swiss mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti, and nearly 300 classical musicians, GOJIRA delivered a majestic performance from platforms outside the windows of the Conciergerie, a former prison and court building on the banks of the Seine. The band was surrounded by fireworks and red ribbons, creating a breathtaking visual spectacle.
Before the ceremony, the band’s frontman, Joe Duplantier, told The New York Times that choosing a metal band to perform a revolutionary anthem was fitting. Joe explained how he felt the pressure of representing «the entire metal community on the international stage».
Joe told to The New York Times:
«The song had been in the works for months. Ever since the Olympic Committee and composer Victor le Masne reached out to us, I wasn’t sure what would happen because it all sounded completely surreal. The number of people who would be watching us live was beyond comprehension. I couldn’t fathom what it would be like because it was just too far beyond imagination. The reality of the moment was absolutely dazzling from where we were at the Conciergerie, with the view of the landscape and all the Olympic teams passing by on boats. It was completely surreal.»
The spectacular display left viewers wondering if they had just witnessed one of the most unforgettable moments of 2024 or a «Freak Show». As reactions on social media surged, GOJIRA was compelled to respond to accusations that their performance was «satanic».
Joe Duplantier told Rolling Stone:
«It’s French history. It’s French charm, you know… Decapitated people, red wine, and blood everywhere. It’s romantic, it’s normal. There’s nothing satanic about it. It was a very bloody era in French history, so it was very… Metal!»
Additionally, “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” was screened at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in September. You can watch GOJIRA’s official music video right below:
