FFrench singer Yseult, whose full name is Yseult Marie Onguenet, closed the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday with a 1969 song famous in America but whose French connection is less well known.
“My Way”, sung by American pop star Frank Sinatra, was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka, who, according to The Guardian, heard a song called “Comme d’habitude” on a trip to Paris and wanted to write something similar. Produced by Claude François, Gilles Thibault and Jacques Revaux, it was written after François split from pop singer France Gall.
When Anka composed “My Way,” he contacted Sinatra’s musical director and the legendary musician immediately agreed to record the song on vinyl.
The two songs sound almost identical. However, “Comme d’habitude” is about losing the spark in a romantic relationship and “My Way” is about a man singing about living a full life with few regrets. The song was reportedly chosen because of the connection between France and the United States, as France is passing the torch to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
For 29-year-old Yseult, it looks like she’s ready to have it all her way. The Olympics and closing ceremony may be over in 2024, but netizens have made it clear they want to hear more from Yseult. Radio host Carol Vorderman wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Stunning performance” and called Yseult “a superstar.” Film director Patrik-Ian Polk wrote: “That was a great rendition of MY WAY. I need to get into this singer.”
Yseult rose to fame in France after finishing second in the French reality TV singing competition “Nouvelle Star” in 2015.
