Céline Dion 'full of joy' as she makes comeback at Paris Olympics following stiff person syndrome diagnosis
IOC via Getty Images
- Céline Dion performed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.
- It was the Canadian singer's first live performance since 2020.
- Dion announced in late 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.
Celine Dion closed out the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, marking the Grammy-winning artist's first live performance in four years.
She performed "Hymne à l'amour," a song made famous by French singer Édith Piaf, on the Eiffel Tower as the 2024 Games kicked off in the French capital.
Following the performance, Dion wrote in an Instagram post that she was "honored" and "so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities."
"Most of all, I'm so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance," she wrote.
The singer received widespread praise for her performance, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau writing on X: "A Canadian icon, an incredible talent, and she overcame a lot to be there tonight."
"Céline, it's great to see you singing again," he added.
Dion also performed at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996.
IOC via Getty Images
It was Dion's first live performance since 2020 and comes roughly a year and a half after she announced that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.
According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, stiff person syndrome "is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time."
It most commonly develops in people aged between 40 and 50, the site says.
In April, while reflecting on her diagnosis, Dion told Vogue France that she was determined to get back onstage and that her goal was to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris again.
"The way I see it, I have two choices," she said. "Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it's over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself."
"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," she added.