On the river of dreams: Juliette Armanet and Sofiane Pamart Reimagine 'Imagine'

In a moment suspended between myth and memory, the River Seine became a stage, a dreamscape, and a prayer. On July 26, 2024, the world watched as Juliette Armanet and Sofiane Pamart delivered a hauntingly intimate performance of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Imagine at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony. It felt like a movie scene — full of emotion and atmosphere. Now, almost exactly one year later, the live version is being released to streaming platforms—allowing the world to once again float along that drifting stage of music, fire, and fragile hope.

Since its 1971 debut, Imagine has remained a fixture in Olympic history as an anthem not just of peace, but of possibility. From Stevie Wonder in Atlanta to Peter Gabriel in Turin, and the kaleidoscopic international collaboration in Tokyo 2020, the song has become a sacred thread of the Olympic tapestry. That legacy was reignited in Paris not with spectacle alone, but with sincerity. “To be part of an Olympic tradition reinvented by artists like Stevie Wonder and Peter Gabriel was breathtaking,” says Juliette Armanet. “I’m an absolute fan of John Lennon’s work, especially this song. The peaceful message was very important to me – it was a moment of intense fellowship, imagining billions vibrating together worldwide.”

In that moment, Juliette’s soaring voice—restrained yet ablaze with quiet power—met Pamart’s piano: grand, smouldering, and literally set on fire. Sofiane Pamart, whose piano has graced remote glaciers and Parisian cathedrals alike, describes the performance as one of his most cherished memories. “It’s a great honour to join the legacy of this song and the iconic artists who have performed it in similarly poetic and pivotal moments in the past,” he reflects. “This song is an invitation to imagine a more peaceful and loving world. That sincere hope deeply resonates with me and my music.”

The pianist, recognized for his striking visuals as well as his detailed sound, turned his instrument into a quiet focal point—lit and steady—on the gently drifting raft through central Paris. It was a moment that captured the city’s contrasts: old and new, bold and fragile, beneath the rain and caught in reflection.

“We both wanted a fairly stripped-down version, as close as possible to the emotion of the moment.” — Juliette Armanet

“It was truly unique,” Juliette recalls. “To be in the middle of Paris, on a raft sailing across the Seine, surrounded by the crowd and under heavy rain and large waves! It was apocalyptic – it amplified the surreal dimension of the moment. I’m aware that it will probably go down as one of the most important performances of my career.”

Stripped of ornament, the performance was intimate by design. There were no backing choirs, no fanfares — only voice and piano, breath and fire. “We both wanted a fairly stripped-down version, as close as possible to the emotion of the moment,” says Juliette. “So we worked around the piano and voice, leaving space for breaths and inflections, allowing ourselves to be guided by the meaning of the song and its strong melody.”

The connection between the two artists went beyond style. Their mutual focus on simplicity allowed the performance to breathe, leaving room for the essence of the song to come through — or perhaps for the quiet presence of the city itself, shaped by the rhythm of the rain.

“This song is an invitation to imagine a more peaceful and loving world.” — Sofiane Pamart

As the flame of Paris begins to fade into memory, it passes forward, northward, upward – toward the next chapter: Milano Cortina 2026. The Olympic Winter Games will arrive in the snowy heart of Italy in February 2026, a celebration of alpine grace and Italian artistry. Where Paris flowed on water and fire, Milano Cortina will soar through snow and steel, uniting tradition and innovation across the Dolomites.

In this lineage of performance and peace, one cannot help but wonder how Imagine might echo again — perhaps through new voices, new visions, yet always with the same longing for unity and light. As John Lennon once said, “We’re carrying that torch, like the Olympic torch, passing it hand to hand, to each other, to each country, to each generation.” It invites us once more – softly, powerfully – to imagine.