Celine Dion performing at Paris 2024 Olympics, report says
Celine Dion is seen leaving a hotel on July 23, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
Celine Dion is poised to return to the world stage at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and reports say it could be as early as the opening ceremony Friday.
According to Variety, it would be the Canadian superstar’s first performance since she canceled her tour and stopped performing after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in December 2022.
Stiff person syndrome causes rigid muscles and painful muscle spasms, which can be triggered by such things as loud noises or light touch. The cause isn’t known, but it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. Severe cases can cause difficulty walking and hunched posture.
READ MORE: Céline Dion hopes for 'a miracle' to cure Stiff Person Syndrome
Dion’s sister said in December that the singer had lost all control of her muscles.
Dion, the best-selling female artist of all time, arrived in Paris Monday. She’s staying at the same hotel as Lady Gaga, another rumored opening ceremony performer, Variety reports. Representatives for Dion and the Paris Olympics haven’t released details about the possible performance.
Known for hits like "My Heart Will Go On" and "The Power of Love," Dion teased her comeback in an April interview with Vogue France.
"I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!" she said.
Dion also recently voiced a video for Canadian Olympians called "L’invincible courage," alongside actor Michael J. Fox. Fox stepped down from acting in 2020 due to complications from Parkinson's disease.
If she does perform, she’d be one of 3,500 actors, dancers and musicians expected to participate in the opening ceremony.
When Dion performed at the Atlanta Summer Olympics in 1996, a record 3.5 billion people watched her sing "The Power of the Dream."