Latest news with #AyaNakamura
See - Sada Elbalad
24-06-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Macron Outlines Vision for the Future of the Music Industry at France Music Week
Yara Sameh The France Music Week Summit, a highlight of the first France Music Week, brought together 100 music industry professionals at the Palais Garnier on Friday, June 20, and concluded with a keynote address from French President Emmanuel Macron. Earlier that week, on Monday, June 16, France's Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, officially launched the first-ever France Music Week — a mix of programming for music business professionals and the general public. One of the week's most significant announcements was a €500 million commitment to the French music industry through Bpifrance by the end of the decade. This includes €125 million in equity funding to support high-growth French companies, international expansion projects, and asset-based consolidation; €340 million in loans and guarantees; and €35 million dedicated to innovation. 'We launched Choose France [an international business summit hosted by France] eight years ago. Now, I want to do the same in key sectors — and music is one of them,' President Macron said during his speech. 'We can go further. France has major assets to boost its global attractiveness.' As Dati said during the launch address 'Supporting businesses in the music sector means defending a key part of our cultural sovereignty and economic identity.' A Day of Industry Dialogue Among the most anticipated speakers was Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, who opened his remarks by highlighting the global success of Aya Nakamura. 'We do a lot of artist development, but it takes a global effort to build an artist with long-term success,' Kyncl noted. 'We're especially proud of Aya Nakamura, signed to Warner Chappell and Warner Music.' John Reid, president of Live Nation Entertainment, focused his remarks on the future of the concert business: 'When you look at new markets like Asia and the Middle East, you see growth trajectories in touring similar to what we experienced in the U.S. three or four years ago.' Among French voices, SACEM CEO Cécile Rap-Veber emphasized the threat of dilution in the age of generative AI: 'That's where we're losing value today. That's why SACEM and Universal were among the first to adopt the artist-centric model on Deezer. I hope all platforms adopt a model that compensates true creators for real creativity.' Also present at the Palais Garnier — home of the Opéra National de Paris — were key figures such as Lyor Cohen (YouTube), Victoria Oakley (IFPI), Lee Soo-Nam (SM Entertainment) and Adriana Moscoso Del Prado (GESAC); French industry leaders Alexis Lanternier (Deezer), Denis Ladegaillerie (Believe); the heads of the three major labels — Alain Veille (Warner Music France), Marie-Anne Robert (Sony Music France) and Olivier Nusse (Universal Music France) —Emmanuel de Buretel (Because Music) and Ed Banger founder Pedro Winter. Three Key Challenges Ahead Several music executives were received at the Élysée Palace by President Macron in advance of the Fête de la Musique. In a closed-door address, Macron laid out what he sees as three major challenges for the industry — beginning with fair artist compensation. 'Alternatives such as the artist-centric or user-centric models, and some of you are great inspirators of this change, championed by platforms like Deezer, deserve our full attention,' Macron said. 'We have to follow up this work and it's very important to deliver as well a common European approach.' The second challenge: the rise of mega-concerts. 'These are spectacular successes and we are very proud to host them, such as Beyoncé's yesterday in the Stade de France, but they can't obscure underlying vulnerabilities as well,' he said. 'Mid-sized venues, festivals and local stages are struggling to keep up with rising costs. This new model is very fruitful, but we have to organize ourselves in order not to sacrifice what clearly is a strength of the French model.' During his speech, Macron stressed the need for France to invest in artificial intelligence, not only to remain competitive with the U.S. and China, but to do so ethically. 'Creation and innovation are not the opposite, but the history of music is one of constant reinvention. And music clearly has always been at the forefront of change,' he said. 'Unregulated generative AI could lead upstream to a form of dispossession of original work and downstream to a dilution of the value of human creation.' The day concluded with performances by The Avener and Kassav' in the Élysée's main courtyard. A major free concert closed out France Music Week in the gardens of the Louvre the following day. The event featured performances by Major Lazer Soundsystem, Kalash, and Christine and the Queens, under the artistic direction of Thierry Reboul, Victor Le Masne and Romain Pissenem — already known for their work on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. AI: 'A Machine That Destroys Music's Value' Beyond Macron's remarks, artificial intelligence was a central topic throughout the summit. At the Palais Garnier, Culture Minister Dati shared her vision: 'While AI is a unique tool for the sector, its power comes with serious responsibility. We must ensure that fully synthetic, AI-generated music doesn't spread at the expense of human creators.' Jean-Baptiste Gourdin, President of the Centre National de la Musique, made AI a core part of his closing speech. 'AI is no longer science fiction,' he said. 'It's already embedded in creation, distribution, recommendation and rights management. This raises legal, economic and ethical questions. If poorly regulated, AI could become a machine that destroys the value of music.' Defending a French Model A recurring theme throughout the day was the defense of France's cultural exception — the idea that the arts are not completely subject to a free market — and the development of a new, French-led model for the music industry of tomorrow. 'Music needs both the investment power of global corporations and the creativity and daring of independent, local players,' said Gourdin in his closing remarks. Macron added: 'A few years ago, when a lot of people wanted to revisit this cultural exception, we fought very hard with some of you and we managed to deliver the European Parliament's preservation of the copyrights and of the artists. I think there is no model where you can sacrifice the copyrights and the protection of the artists.' Among the foundational goals of France Music Week is to strengthen France's position on the international stage. 'We want to help our key players to benefit from these global dynamics, largely focused in Asia, the Gulf, LATAM and some other places,' he added. Gourdin concluded: 'Export is no longer optional — it's a core pillar of the new business model. But globalization doesn't mean standardization. Around the world, it's local content — rooted in culture, language and collective imagination — that drives user engagement and market growth. The universal now passes through the singular. And that presents a tremendous opportunity for French and Francophone creators.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
LeMonde
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
At trial over banner targeting Aya Nakamura, far-right activists stand by their actions
On March 8, 2024, as rumors swirled that Aya Nakamura would headline the Olympic Games opening ceremony, around 15 young far-right activists, members of the group Les Natifs, gathered on Île Saint-Louis in the center of Paris to unfurl a banner hostile to the French-Malian singer: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market!" The slogan referenced lyrics from one of Nakamura's hits ("Djadja") and her birthplace, the Malian capital. Heirs to the far-right group Génération Identitaire, which was dissolved in 2021, Les Natifs – who have 10,000 followers on Instagram and 19,000 on X – specialize in actions involving hostile posters and banners, often targeting immigration or promoting the defense of "European civilization." Recently, activists plastered portraits of Joan of Arc and Sainte Geneviève over images of veiled women displayed at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, in the northern Paris suburb. Posted on their X account and viewed nearly 4.5 million times, the photo of the anti-Nakamura banner was accompanied by a short text lamenting President Emmanuel Macron's supposed plan: "To replace French elegance with vulgarity, to Africanize our popular songs, and to sideline the native population in favor of extra-European immigration." The message demanded that "France be represented by an artist embodying our heritage, our values and our identity!"
France 24
05-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Prosecutors seek up to four months sentences in Aya Nakamura racist abuse trial
Thirteen people went on trial in France on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for a stunt in March 2024 -- after reports the superstar singer would perform at the Olympics -- when they unveiled a banner reading: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market". It was a reference to Mali's capital, where the 30-year-old singer was born, and her hit song "Djadja". Nakamura's performance at the July 2024 opening ceremony sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives, a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking". Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white-nationalist "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. The 13 defendants, aged between 20 and 31, face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence -- or complicity in such incitement -- on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. Only three appeared in court, while the remaining 10 were represented by their lawyers. Nakamura was not present at the hearing. The defendants, including the spokesman for Les Natifs, Stanislas T., refused to answer questions, reading a statement to justify their actions. "What is at stake today is the issue of freedom of expression and the independence of the judicial system," said the 24-year-old spokesman, denying the group had insulted Nakamura or incited hatred. According to the activist, the aim was to denounce "a political choice that deliberately sought to promote the dissolution of our ancestral culture". Their lawyers, Mathieu Sassi and Pierre-Vincent Lambert, requested the acquittal of their clients, saying Nakamura had been targeted because of her "vulgarity". Prosecutors requested sentences of up to four months of prison. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media at the time, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate -- but what do I really owe you? Nothing." 'Shock public opinion' Nakamura is the world's most listened-to Francophone singer, and her performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when reports began circulating in early 2024 that the Mali- born, Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticised the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French". In March 2024, a dozen members of Les Natifs unfurled the banner targeting Nakamura along the River Seine. They posted a picture of the stunt on social media, and far-right outlets amplified the message. Les Natifs, which has 10,000 followers on Instagram and 19,000 on X, has staged other provocative stunts. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. Two people including Stanislas T. were due to appear in court in connection with that case on Thursday. In February, the activists plastered an Air Algerie office in Paris with posters encouraging people with Algerian roots to "re-migrate". The goal for groups like Les Natifs is to "provoke massive reactions and shock public opinion so we have no choice but to talk about them", said Marion Jacquet-Vaillant, an expert on far-right movements in France. Capucine C., 22, who until March 2025 was a "parliamentary assistant" to three far-right National Rally MPs, was among the accused appearing in court. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from the opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the ceremony's artistic director, who is openly gay. Five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the ceremony.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thirteen on trial in France over 'racist' stunt targeting singer Aya Nakamura
Thirteen people went on trial in Paris on Wednesday over a "racist" insult targeting Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for unveiling a banner in March 2024 that read: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market" -- a reference to Mali's capital, where the singer was born. Nakamura's performance sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives in a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking". The 13 defendants, who are aged between 20 and 31, now face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence -- or complicity in such incitement -- on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion. Only three appeared in court, while the remaining 10 were represented by their lawyers. Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white nationalist so-called "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media at the time, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate -- but what do I really owe you? Nothing." Nakamura was neither present at Wednesday's hearing nor represented by a lawyer. - 'Shock public opinion' - The 30-year-old is the world's most listened to Francophone singer, and her July 2024 performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when rumours began circulating in March that the Mali-born and Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticised the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French". Far-right media amplified Les Natifs' banner which they unfurled along the capital's River Seine, another in a series of provocative stunts by the group which it shares with thousands of followers on social media. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. One of the thirteen defendants set to stand trial on Wednesday, Stanislas T., 24, will also face charges in that case on Thursday. And in February, they plastered an Air Algeria office in Paris with posters reading "Re-migrate 'light' from France to Algeria, for a one-way ticket with no return" written over a single suitcase. The goal for groups like Les Natifs is to "provoke massive reactions and shock public opinion so we have no choice but to talk about them", said Marion Jacquet-Vaillant, an expert on far-right movements in France. Among the defendants are Les Natifs' leader Edouard M., a 28-year-old finance professional, and the group's spokesman, Antoine G., a 27-year-old lawyer. Both were absent from the hearing. Capucine C., 22, who until March 2025 was a "parliamentary assistant" to three far-right National Rally MPs, was in the courtroom on Wednesday. In April, one of Les Natifs' roughly 50 members described the group's identity as "civilisational, European; national, French; and local, Parisian". The so-called fight against the "great replacement" is the "mother of all battles", said Gabriel, 25, who works in finance. In 2024, the UN human rights chief warned that the conspiracy theory is "delusional and deeply racist," and a direct driver of violence. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from the opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening ceremony who is openly gay. And five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the event. aje-abo/ekf/sjw/phz
LeMonde
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
Thirteen go on trial in France over 'racist' insult targeting singer Aya Nakamura
Thirteen people will appear in a Paris court on Wednesday, June 4, over a "racist" insult targeting French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who faced criticism from the far right and harassment over her performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The defendants, linked to extreme-right group Les Natifs (the Natives), are on trial for unveiling a banner in March 2024 that read: "No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market" – a reference to Mali's capital, where the singer was born. Nakamura's performance sparked a political firestorm among far-right politicians and conservatives in a reaction French President Emmanuel Macron at the time described as "racist" and "shocking." The 13 defendants, between 20 and 31-years-old, now face charges of publicly inciting hatred or violence – or complicity in such incitement – on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, race, or religion. Les Natifs espouses the far-right, white nationalist so-called "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory, according to which white Europeans are being deliberately supplanted by non-white immigrants. Nakamura responded to the group's stunt on social media, writing: "You can be racist, but you're not deaf... and that's what really bothers you! I'm suddenly the number one topic of debate – but what do I really owe you? Nothing." The singer and anti-discrimination NGOs filed complaints with the Paris prosecutor's office over the incident, which was investigated by France's anti-hate crimes organization, OCLCH. 'Shock public opinion' The 30-year-old is the world's most listened to Francophone singer, and her July 2024 performance on one of Paris's fabled bridges, the Pont des Arts, was among the most-watched moments of the opening ceremony. But when rumors began circulating in March that the Mali-born and Paris-raised superstar was going to perform, far-right politicians and groups vehemently criticized the decision. An appearance by Nakamura, who mixes French with Arabic and Malian slang, would "humiliate" the country, far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested, taking aim at her supposed "vulgarity" and "the fact that she doesn't sing in French." Far-right media amplified Les Natifs' banner which they unfurled along the capital's Seine River, another in a series of provocative stunts by the group which it shares with thousands of followers on social media. In March, the group covered portraits of veiled women on display in a church in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis with black sheets. One of the 13 defendants set to stand trial on Wednesday, Stanislas T., 24, will also face charges in that case on Thursday. And in February, they plastered an Air Algeria office in Paris with posters reading "Re-migrate 'light' from France to Algeria, for a one-way ticket with no return" written over a single suitcase. Nakamura's complaint is not the only one stemming from last summer's opening ceremony to head to trial. A French court in May found seven people guilty of bullying Thomas Jolly, the artistic director for the opening ceremony who is openly gay. And five people are to stand trial in September over similar complaints from Barbara Butch, a French DJ and lesbian activist who starred in a controversial scene during the event.
