LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Canadian music icon Celine Dion has made an emotional return to the stage, performing her first full concert in six years after battling stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that disrupted her ability to walk and sing.
The 58-year-old singer received a huge welcome from about 30,000 fans at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on Saturday, as she opened the first show of her highly anticipated comeback run.
Dressed in a strapless black gown, Dion began the concert with her French-language ballad, “On ne change pas.”
She cried during the performance before briefly addressing the cheering crowd.
“These are tears of joy, of course. I’m so happy to see you,” she told the audience.
Fans responded by chanting her name, creating an emotional moment for the singer who had spent years away from regular live performances.
Dion, known for her powerful voice later reflected on the difficult road that brought her back to the stage.
“I have to admit, the path was rockier than expected, the journey longer than expected, with unplanned stopovers, but I held on to a faint ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains,” Dion said.
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She then told the audience that the difficult period was finally behind her.
“And now, the sun is here, the sun is in front of me. So tonight, I want to sing for you, sing for myself, sing for life,” Dion added.
The Grammy-winning icon also admitted that she had tried to prepare herself not to become overwhelmed by the moment.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t cry. I don’t keep my promises, but I’m so happy to see all of you. I missed you. I’m going to sing for you without crying,” the singer added.
Dion’s return follows years of health challenges. She revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes muscle stiffness and spasms.
The illness forced her to cancel the remainder of her Courage World Tour and largely step away from live performances.
Her struggle with the condition was later documented in the 2024 film I Am: Celine Dion, which gave fans an intimate look at the physical pain and severe spasms she experienced.
Despite her health battle, Dion made a brief return to the public stage in 2024 when she performed Édith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
However, Saturday’s show marked her first full concert since March 2020.
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Her comeback has generated significant excitement in Paris.
Fans reportedly waited for hours outside her hotel, while a metro station near the arena was decorated with lyrics from her songs. A mass karaoke event was also held in the city on the eve of her concert.
The demand for tickets was equally striking, with reports that about nine million people registered for the presale lottery before tickets sold out quickly.
Saturday’s performance marked the start of 16 sold-out concerts scheduled for September and October, with Dion expected to return to Paris for another 10 shows in May 2027, bringing the planned run to 26 performances.
As the concert progressed, Dion thanked the audience for standing by her through the years she was unable to perform.
“Thank you so much for coming. If this is your first time in Paris, I hope you fall in love with it the way I did. Finally, it’s amazing that we are all here together,” she said.
