Paris is set to honor the legendary rock music icon David Bowie by naming a street after him, a first-of-its-kind tribute to the artist since his passing eight years ago. The inauguration of Rue David Bowie will take place in the capital’s 13th district on the left bank of the city, officials announced.
The street, approximately 50 meters long, was part of a recent extensive redevelopment of the neighborhood, which includes the modernist university library Bibliothèque Francois Mitterrand. Significantly, no existing dignitary’s name will be displaced for Bowie’s, as the street, previously known as “VoieDZ/13,” is a recent addition to the city’s layout.
David Bowie, who succumbed to liver cancer on January 10, 2016, would have turned 77 this Monday. He is celebrated as one of the most influential and best-selling musicians of the 20th century. Bowie’s career, which skyrocketed with the hit single Space Oddity in 1969, is marked by his unique ability to artistically reinvent himself. His repertoire includes landmark albums like Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane and experimental works such as Low.
While Paris may not have been as central to Bowie’s life as London, Berlin, or Los Angeles, French avant-garde theatrical culture notably influenced his visual style. The artist also covered French-language songs by Jacques Brel, including Amsterdam and Ma Mort (My Death).
Bowie’s influence in France remains strong, evidenced by fan clubs such as Bowie France, which organize concerts, conventions and tribute bands like Bowie Reloaded, attracting thousands of nostalgic fans.
Jerome Coumet, the mayor of Paris’s 13th district and an avid Bowie fan, initiated the proposal for a Bowie street in early 2020. The Paris city council approved the idea later that year, acknowledging Bowie’s significant connection to the city. Coumet announced the street’s inauguration on X, formerly Twitter, and referenced Bowie’s duet Dancing in the Street with Mick Jagger.
The unveiling of the street name plaque is scheduled for 4:15 PM. (1515 GMT) on Monday. The event will be followed by an evening dedicated to Bowie at the district’s city hall, featuring Bowie’s friend and biographer Jerome Soligny and Clifford Slapper, producer of the tribute album Bowie Songs One. Additionally, a Bowie exhibition at the mayor’s office will run until the end of next week.
With AFP