2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Performers

Much of the tone for the year 2010 was set by the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver at which many Canadian artists performed (during the opening and closing ceremonies). Some artists performed covers of songs by others. And some performed new music written especially for the Olympics.

Opening Ceremony

For the opening ceremony, Celine Dion had originally been asked to perform the national anthem but had to cancel due to pregnancy. The job was handed over to 16 year old Nikki Yanofsky who also recorded the song “I Believe” to promote the games, a number one hit.

Bryan Adams and Nelly Furtado sang the Jim Vallance composition “Bang the Drum”. Sarah McLachlan performed her 2006 hit “Ordinary Miracle” from the film Charlotte’s Web. Loreena McKennitt performed “The Old Ways” from her 1991 album The Visit. Fiddler Ashley MacIsaac played his 1996 “Devil in the Kitchen”. k.d. lang sang a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” which later became a #2 hit for her. Garou sang Jean-Pierre Ferland’s “Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin”.

Closing Ceremony

During the closing ceremony, Nikki Yanofsky, Aboriginal singer Derek Miller, and Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila sang together “Let’s Have a Party” in English and French. Neil Young performed his “Long May You Run” from 1976. Michael Bublé sang the traditional “Maple Leaf Forever”. La Bottine Souriante performed the traditional French Canadian song “Envoyons d’l’avant nos gens”.

Nickelback opened the concert section with their heavy metal tune “Burn it to the Ground”. Avril Lavigne performed her hits “My Happy Ending” and “Girlfriend”. (She also performed at the Torino Olympics in 2006). Alanis Morissette performed her “Wunderkind” from the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack. Simple Plan performed its “Your Love is a Lie” and Hedley its “Cha-Ching”. Star Academie finalist Marie-Mai sang “Emmène-moi” and k-os performed “Eye Know Something”.

The entire opening ceremony can be seen HERE.

The entire closing ceremony can be seen HERE. (Note: first 30 minutes of the video is a montage of scenes from the 16 days of sports. Most of the entertainment comes after the first 2 hours, the concert section beginning after 2:30.)