French singer Yseult, whose full name is Yseult Marie Onguenet, closed out the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday with a 1969 song famous in America that has a lesser-known French connection.
“My Way,” sung by American pop star Frank Sinatra, was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka, who had heard a song called “Comme d’habitude” on a trip to Paris and wanted to write something like it, according to The Guardian. Produced by Claude François, Gilles Thibault, and Jacques Revaux, it was written after François broke up with pop singer France Gall.
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When Anka composed “My Way,” he contacted Sinatra’s musical director, and the legendary musician immediately agreed to record it for vinyl.
The two songs sound nearly identical. However, “Comme d’habitude” is about the loss of a spark in a romantic relationship, and “My Way” is about a man who sings about living a full life with few regrets. The song was chosen reportedly because of the connection between France and the USA, as France passes the torch to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
For Yseult, 29, it looks like she’s poised to have things her way. The Olympics and the closing ceremony may be over for 2024, but internet users have made it clear that they want to hear more Yseult. Broadcaster Carol Vorderman wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Stunning performance,” calling Yseult “a superstar.” Film director Patrik-Ian Polk wrote, “That was a gorgeous rendition of MY WAY. Must dive into this singer .”
Yseult rose to fame in France after being a runner up on a French reality TV singing competition called “Nouvelle Star” in 2015.
French singer Yseult, whose full name is Yseult Marie Onguenet, closed out the closing ceremony.