Nearly two years after publicly revealing her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, Dion sang Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” as the closing performance of the four-hour spectacle. Her appearance had been rumored for weeks, but organizers and the star’s representatives were unwilling to confirm whether she would perform. The singer hadn’t been on stage since 2020, when her tour, postponed to 2022 due to COVID, was ultimately suspended following her illness.
This rare neurological disorder causes stiff muscles and painful muscle spasms, affecting Dion’s ability to walk and sing. In June, at the premiere of the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” she mentioned needing therapy to make a comeback “physically, mentally, emotionally, vocally.”
Dion is not actually French—she hails from Quebec, Canada—but has always had a strong connection to France, and even to the Olympics. Celine Dion’s mother was a violinist, and her father played the accordion. She was the youngest of 14 children and was named after French singer Hugues Aufray’s song “Céline.” By age seven, she was singing Ginette Reno’s songs in her parents’ restaurant near Repentigny. Dion’s first language is French, and throughout her career, she has topped charts in France and other French-speaking countries. She even won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest with a French-language song, representing Switzerland at the time. In 1990, she sparked mild controversy when she declined the Félix Award for Best English-Language Artist, citing her French-Canadian status. “I am not an anglophone artist, and the audience understands that,” she said. “Wherever I go in the world, I always say I’m proud to be Québécoise.”
Few know that Céline Dion’s voice, at its peak, could cover five octaves. She quickly became known for her incredible vocal range and control, as well as her passionate and emotional performances. She is often compared to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, recognized for her powerful and technically proficient singing.
In the 1990s, she transitioned to singing in English, resulting in a series of incredibly successful hits, most notably “Where Does My Heart Beat Now,” “The Power of Love,” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” and of course “My Heart Will Go On,” earning her the nickname “Queen of Power Ballads.” A pivotal year in Dion’s career was 1992 when her second English-language album, “Celine Dion,” sold over five million copies worldwide, becoming her first platinum album in the U.S. and achieving diamond status in Canada. The album’s single, “If You Asked Me To,” topped the Billboard charts. The following album, “The Colour of My Love” (1993), was even more successful, selling 20 million copies worldwide. The single “The Power of Love,” produced by David Foster, topped the charts in both Canada and the United States.
In 1996, she was asked to perform the theme song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, “The Power of The Dream.” By then, she was already the most successful Canadian singer of all time, and with 220 million records sold, one of the best-selling music artists globally. Dion’s career skyrocketed with the albums “Falling into You” (1996) and “Let’s Talk About Love” (1997), each selling over 20 million copies worldwide. The latter’s biggest hit, “My Heart Will Go On,” was a number-one hit in nine countries, selling over 18 million copies globally, becoming the second best-selling female single of all time after Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Dion performed Titanic’s Oscar-winning song at the 1998 Academy Awards.
In 2009, the Los Angeles Times named her the highest-earning artist of the decade, with combined album sales and concert revenues exceeding $747 million.