Watch: Celine Dion Steps Out for First Public Appearance in 2 Years
Celine Dion’s love for performing will go on and on.
The Grammy winner was overcome by emotion as she took the stage during the first night of her 16-show residency at Plenitude Arena in Paris Sept. 12, marking her first concert performance since taking a step back from the spotlight in 2022.
“I had promised myself not to cry,” Dion told her 35,000 fans during the opening moments of her show, per Variety. “But I’m so happy to see you all. I missed you. I’m going to sing like you without crying.”
After delivering her first song of the show, “On ne change pas,” which translates to, “We don’t change,” she added, “Here we are. I’m standing on stage in this city that I love so much, thanks to your support and your love.”
“I have to admit, though, that the road was rocky,” she continued. “The journey was longer than expected, with unplanned stops along the way. But I hung in there. A faint ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains. I believed in it. And here it is. The sun—the sun is here. The sun, right in front of me.”
Dion—mom to René-Charles, 25, and 15-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy with her late husband René Angélil—previously shared her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause severe muscle spasms and stiffening, per Mayo Clinic, in December 2022.
At the time, the condition forced her to postpone and eventually cancel remaining dates on her Courage world tour. But now, Celine’s voice is once again taking center stage.
“I made a promise to be back on stage,” she continued during the concert, according to Variety. “So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing live! Thank you so very much for your support, your patience and if I may say so, I am everything I am because you loved me.”
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In March, Dion announced she’d gifted herself a residency in the city of love as a 58th birthday present to herself.
“This year, I’m getting the best birthday gift of my life,” she told fans in a social media video at the time. “I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you.”
And while she’s been taking time to focus on her health, Dion assured fans that she’s been “feeling good” lately. In fact, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer shared she couldn’t have done it without them.
“Over these last few years, every day that’s gone by, I’ve felt your prayers and support, your kindness and love,” she said. “Even in my most difficult times, you were there for me.”
For a deeper look into Dion’s health battle, keep reading…
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