The iconic American group Black Eyed Peas launched their French tour with a sold-out show in a breathtaking setting. Over 30,000 fans danced the night away to their biggest hits.
The Black Eyed Peas, the American group with over 35 million albums sold, kicked off their French tour on Sunday night with a sold-out concert at the Château de Chambord (Loir-et-Cher), performing for more than 30,000 fans.
Wearing straw hats and waving hand fans, Carole and Patrick Atline grabbed front-row spots by 4 p.m. despite the intense heat. The couple, both in their fifties, had flown in all the way from Réunion Island just to see the Black Eyed Peas. “We’ve been listening to them since the late '90s. We couldn’t miss this. And to make it extra special, we said, ‘Let’s see them in an extraordinary place!’”
With sunglasses on, Aurélie, 37, came from nearby Orléans: “This group defined my youth. I danced so much to Where Is the Love.” Her friend Cyndi says she plays her favorite track, Pump It, “at every family and friend gathering. Our kids love it, our parents love it. It brings everyone together.”
Nicolas, meanwhile, is humming I Gotta Feeling, one of the Californians' biggest hits. He’s proudly wearing a t-shirt from their 1998 Paris concert and isn’t surprised the group is still going strong. “They’ve always known how to evolve—blending pop, rock, soul, funk, hip-hop, rap—and teaming up with other artists like Shakira,” he says.
“It’s an honor to perform in front of such a beautiful monument,” founding member will.i.am told AFP.
“We want our songs to be like bandages for people. That’s what music should do. After 9/11, we wrote Let's Get It Started and Where Is the Love; after the 2008 financial crisis, we released I Gotta Feeling; after COVID, it was Mamacita and Girl Like Me. We write music to heal, to celebrate love. That’s why we connect so deeply with our audience,” the American artist explained.
The concert wrapped up around 11:30 p.m. with a fireworks show set to I Gotta Feeling.
“After the huge success of David Guetta in June 2024, we wanted to keep the open-air club vibe going in front of one of the world’s most beautiful castles,” said Julien Lavergne, head of AZ Prod, the event organizer.
Following performances by Sting in 2022, Imagine Dragons in 2023, and David Guetta last year, the “Chambord Live” series has secured its place among France’s top summer music events.
The Black Eyed Peas will continue their French tour with stops in Les Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) on June 29, Festival Beauregard in Hérouville-Saint-Clair (Calvados) on July 2, Fête du Bruit in Saint-Nolff (Morbihan) on July 4, Garorock Festival in Marmande (Lot) on July 6, and a final show at Paris’s Accor Arena on July 9.
With AFP
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