Megastar Canadian singer Celine Dion on Monday announced her return to performing after a lengthy break prompted by a rare health condition.
Megastar singer Celine Dion on Monday announced her return to performing after a lengthy break prompted by a rare health condition, calling the comeback news revealed on her birthday “the best gift.”
Addressing fans in a video released on social media, the 58-year-old Canadian said her condition had improved and she would perform a series of shows in Paris beginning in September.
“This year, I’m getting the best birthday gift of my life. I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again,” she said.
“I want to let you know that I’m doing great, managing my health, feeling good.”
Dion first disclosed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disorder.
The Quebec-born star was forced to cancel the remainder of her shows indefinitely.
Treatment can help alleviate symptoms of the condition that can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs.
The 2024 documentary “I Am: Celine Dion” provided an intimate look at the charismatic performer’s career and the severity of her pain from the condition, including suffering a seizure.
Despite the diagnosis, Dion vowed she would fight her way back to the stage.
“I’m not dead,” the singer told AFP in 2024 on the red carpet ahead of the premiere of the documentary.
Later that year Dion sang from the Eiffel Tower for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, while athletes sailed down the river in pouring rain.
Dion was launched onto the global stage in 1988 representing Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin.
Then aged 20, she sang “Ne partez pas sans moi” (Don’t Leave Without Me), which won her the prize.
The following year, Dion opened the TV extravaganza for host Switzerland with her winning French-language song.
She then premiered the single “Where Does My Heart Beat Now” — heralding her career switch into English, which set her on the path to global chart domination.
She has sold more than 260 million albums during a career spanning decades, and has won five Grammys — two for “My Heart Will Go On”, the hit song from the 1997 epic “Titanic”.
On Monday, Dion told fans that she has continued to feel their support despite her years off stage.
“Even in my most difficult times, you were there for me. You’ve helped me in ways that I can’t even describe, and I’m truly so fortunate to have your support,” she said, describing that she was now “singing again, even doing a little bit of dancing”.
Dion is set to perform 10 shows over five weeks at the Paris La Defense Arena beginning on September 12.
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Multiple reports confirmed that Quebec singer Céline Dion will return for full concerts in Paris in the fall. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)
Singer Céline Dion performs on NBC's 'Today' show at Rockefeller Plaza on July 22, 2016 in New York City. ( Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Singer Céline Dion performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Singer Céline Dion performs onstage during the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Nov. 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs onstage at All-Star Lineup Pays Tribute At "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul at The Shrine Auditorium on January 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Rich Fury/Getty Images for NARAS)
A young Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Canadian singer Céline Dion performs on the stage of the AccorHotels Arena in Paris on July 4, 2017. (MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Canadian singer Céline Dion performs Dec. 4, 1995 on the stage of Bercy concert hall in Paris. (BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images)
Canadian singer Céline Dion performs on the opening night of her new world tour "Courage" at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, on Sept. 18, 2019. (ALICE CHICHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Singer Céline Dion performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Canadian star Céline Dion sings a duet with Bruno Pelltier at her farewell New Year's Eve concert in Montreal late 31 Dec. 1999. (RYAN REMIORZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Singer Céline Dion performs onstage during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph. (Randy Holmes via Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Producer David Foster (L) and singer Céline Dion perform at 'Celebrity Fight Night X', a charity event to raise money for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute March 27, 2004, in Pheonix, Arizona (Carlo Allegri/Getty Images)
Céline Dion in concert at l'Olympia on Sept. 27, 1994 in Paris, France. (Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion pays hommage to Serge Fiori.
Céline Dion performs at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics.
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion performs during the final show of her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on June 08, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Denise Truscello/Getty Images for AEG)
Céline Dion performs in studio in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion performs with friend Barnev Valsaint.
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Singer Céline Dion performs on the stage in concert at Cotai Strip Cotai Arena on June 29, 2018 in Macau, China. (Visual China Group via Getty Images)
Canada's singer Céline Dion performs on stage at AccorHotels Arena concert hall in Paris on June 24, 2016. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Canadian singer Céline Dion performs during the German TV show ' Wetten Dass...?' ( Bet it...?) in Halle, eastern Germany Saturday Nov. 9, 2013. (AP / dpa, Jan Woitas)
Céline Dion performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs at a concert on the Plains of Abraham in front of 250 000 fans for Quebec City's 400th birthday in Quebec, Canada on Aug. 22, 2008. (Jean-Philippe DUMAS/PONOPRESSE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Céline Dion performs at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics.
Céline Dion and Jean-Pierre Ferland.
Céline Dion in a still image of her documentary "I am Céline."
Céline Dion and Garou.
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion performs at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, on May 21, 2017. (Chris Pizzello/Invision)
Céline Dion performs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, in Las Vegas. (Al Powers/Powers Imagery/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (Clement Allard/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion sings her last number during her opening night performance at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Tuesday, March 15, 2011. (AP / Julie Jacobson)
Céline Dion reacts to the audience during her opening night performance at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Tuesday, March 15, 2011. (AP / Julie Jacobson)
Céline Dion is seen on stage singing at one of her shows in Las Vegas.
Céline Dion performs in memory and honour of her late husband René Angélil at the Gala Adisq awards ceremony in Montreal, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes)
Céline Dion performs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, in Las Vegas. (Al Powers/Powers Imagery/Invision/AP)
Singer Céline Dion performs during her first World Tour show called Courage Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019 at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)
Céline Dion performs "My Heart will Go On" at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Las Vegas. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion during a performance. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)
Céline Dion announced her Courage World Tour during a special live event at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs at the "Aretha! A Grammy Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" event at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday, January 13, 2019, in Los Angeles. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs 'Flying on My Own' and the end of her 16-year residency (YouTube/Céline Dion)
Céline Dion performs in concert at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Sunday, July 31, 2016. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)
Céline Dion performs “The Show Must Go On” at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs in Las Vegas on Tuesday Feb. 23, 2016
Céline Dion performs at the Bell Centre on July 31, 2016.
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion entertains a full house at the Montreal Forum Friday, March 25, 1994 during the first of six consecutive Montreal shows. (CP PHOTO/Marcos Townsend)
Céline Dion performs on the Plains of Abraham in 2008. (Jacques Boissinot/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion opens a benefit concert. (Paul Chiasson/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Céline Dion waves to fans at a charity event Wednesday, July 16, 2014 in Montreal. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)
Céline Dion performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (AP / Invision / Matt Sayles)
Céline Dion sings "Beauty and the Beast."
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion performs on the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (The Canadian Press/Clement Allard)
Céline Dion sings her last number during her opening night performance at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Tuesday, March 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Céline Dion performs “The Show Must Go On” at the Billboard Music Awards at the T-Mobile Arena on Sunday, May 22, 2016, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Céline Dion performs in this undated photograph.
Céline Dion performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Singer Céline Dion performs during her first World Tour show called Courage on September 18, 2019 at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)