Rob Halford, iconic frontman of Judas Priest, recently shared his thoughts on Gojira’s groundbreaking performance at the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony in Paris. The French metal band made history as the first metal act ever to perform at the prestigious event, delivering powerful rendition of the revolutionary anthem “Ah! Ça Ira” with classical musicians and opera singer Marina Viotti.
According to Blabbermouth, Halford, known for “Crown of Horns”, “The Serpent and the King” and “Sword of Damocles”, expressed his surprise and excitement, saying, “I was surprised and shocked and thrilled and delighted to see metal on the Olympics.”
As a lifelong Olympics fan, Halford was especially moved by the inclusion of metal, a genre often seen as rebellious, alongside athletes celebrated for their perseverance.
Halford added, “It’s great to see the French embrace metal. It’s not something other countries might have done, but the French are cosmopolitan in their approach to the arts.”
Halford, who’s long been a supporter of Gojira, praised their performance, noting, “I’ve been a Gojira fan since day one. I was rooting for them the whole way.” He also shared his hopes of meeting the band at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where both Gojira and Judas Priest are nominated.
Photo credit: Rob Halford
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