Rue David Bowie to be opened in Paris
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On Monday 8 January, a David Bowie street will be inaugurated in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
Located near 61 avenue Pierre-Mendès-France, this street will officially take the name of the music icon next week, corresponding to the date of his 77th birthday.
There is no record of a David-Bowie-named street anywhere else.
No former dignitary's name will need to be removed to make room for "Rue David Bowie", as the street was created recently as part of a major makeover of the neighbourhood, which also includes the modernist university library Bibliotheque Francois Mitterrand.
Bowie counts as one of the most influential, as well as best-selling, musicians of the 20th century, mostly thanks to his unparalleled ability to reinvent himself artistically throughout his career that took off with hit single 'Space Oddity' in 1969.
It must sting for some that France will have a street to honour the musician, while Bowie’s home country of the UK does not.
Indeed, Paris has played less of a prominent role in Bowie's life than London, or indeed Berlin, where the singer lived and recorded his "Berlin Trilogy" ('Low', 'Heroes' - both 1977- and 'Lodger' - 1979), but French avant-garde theatrical culture was a huge influence on the artist's visual style.
Bowie has also maintained a cult following in France, where fan clubs such as ‘Bowie France’ sell merchandise, organise concerts and Bowie conventions.
News that the French capital would be naming a street after the iconic singer was first shared back in 2020, when Mayor of the 13th district, Jérôme Coumet, revealed that he was planning the move.
According to Coumet, an avowed Bowie fan, the idea for the “rue David Bowie” emerged as the Starman had “a strong link with the city of lights."
In his X post, Coumet announced that "the 13th welcomes David Bowie! Dancing in the Street!", a reference to a hit song performed by Bowie and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.
Monday’s unveiling of the street name plaque will be followed by an evening of homage to Bowie at the district’s city hall.
