Published on •Updated
For nearly 17 years, Céline Dion fought an illness without knowing its name. At one point, she had to take Valium just to keep functioning.
In a Harper’s Bazaar profile published earlier this week, the 58-year-old French-Canadian superstar described the pain and struggles she faced both on and off the stage, as well as the lengths she went to keep performing.
Dion said her symptoms began years before her 2022 diagnosis stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
Before doctors identified the cause, Dion would attribute cancelled performances to common ailments such as sinus infections. Behind the scenes, though, she was suffering. She said she found the pain so severe that she could barely walk at times.
The revelations come shortly before the Grammy-winning singer is set to return to the stage for a sold-out Paris residency – her first headlining shows in more than six years.
A career-halting diagnosis
Dion announced her diagnosis publicly in December 2022 and later cancelled the remaining dates of her Courage World Tour. Her sister said the following year that the singer had lost control of her muscles as her condition progressed.
Her health struggles were later documented in the 2024 film I Am: Céline Dion, which showed the singer undergoing treatment and dealing with painful spasms that left her unable to move or speak.
After years away from regular performances, Dion made a high-profile return at the Paris Olympics in July 2024, singing Édith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’amour’ from the Eiffel Tower.
Since her diagnosis, Dion has undergone a range of treatment to deal with the condition, including medication, physical therapy, vocal therapy and immunotherapy.
She also told Harper’s Bazaar that she has been following a 90-minute Pilates routine three times a week and practicing ballet to prepare for her return.
Céline Dion returns to Paris next month
Dion’s five-week residency at Paris La Défense Arena begins on 12 September, and the demand has been extraordinary.
The 16 dates sold out soon after tickets went on sale in April, prompting her to add another 10 dates at the same venue in May 2027.
She has also been releasing new music ahead of the comeback, including the French-language single ‘Bonjour, Pardon, Merci’, which followed ‘Dansons’ in April.
Dion’s long-awaited return is expected to have a big impact on Paris, too. Alexandra Dublanche, chair of the Choose Paris Region, told AFP earlier this year that the shows could generate between €300 million and €500 million for the local economy.