Celine Dion fans in tears as she performs at Paris Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony
The French Canadian singer performed Hymn To Love by Edith Piaf from the Eiffel Tower.
What did you miss?
Celine Dion had fans in tears as she made her triumphant return, singing live from the Eiffel Tower at the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony in Paris.
The 56-year-old French-Canadian singer — who cancelled her tour in 2022 when she revealed she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS) — delighted fans as she performed Hymn To Love by Edith Piaf in French from upon the iconic French landmark.
Dion fans had watched the four hour ceremony anxiously following rumours she would be launching a comeback during the festivities in Paris. And when she finally appeared many confessed they were overcome with emotion.
What, how, and why?
Dion appeared at the very end of the four hour ceremony, standing on the mid level of the Eiffel Tower, accompanied on the piano. The My Heart Will Go On singer wore a silver sparkling evening with matching earrings and dazzled with her powerful singing voice.
She appeared emotional as she paused for breath before the final line of the well-known Piaf song, blasting out: "Dieu réunit ceux qui s'aiment." [God unites those who love].
Céline Dion has a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness called stiff person syndrome. There is no treatment and she has not performed in 4 years. She just opened the Olympics with this stunning performance. Magnifique. pic.twitter.com/NAkgAJ6wIZ
— Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) July 26, 2024
Dion fans had been awaiting her big comeback following her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder which causes muscular rigidity and stiffness, and how it has impacted her ability to sing. The My Heart Will Go On singer went public with her diagnosis in December 2022 when she postponed her tour and opened up about living with the condition in the recent Prime Video documentary film I Am: Celine Dion.
Dion grew up in French-speaking Quebec, Canada and both her parents are of French descent. She won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Switzerland, but singing in French. She has released 15 albums in French, compared with 12 in English.
What did viewers say?
Viewers were moved to tears by the performance:
One wrote on social media platform X: "Oh my word! I saw #CelineDion and immediately started bawling my eyes out #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony #OlympicGames" Another said: "bawling over #celinedion singing at the #OlympicGames opening ceremonies " One confessed: "My god, this woman made me tear up. What a wonderful, amazing talent #CelineDion" Another shared: "I knew that was her!!! I just got teary eyed #Paris2024 #CelineDion" And another fan declared: "What a comeback! @celinedion you are amazing, you are a warrior and such an inspiration! #celinedion #amazing #Olimpiadas2024"
Read more: Celine Dion
Celine Dion is 'happy to be back in Paris' amid Olympic speculation (Today, 2 min read)
Céline Dion Fans Won't Believe How Much She’s Getting Paid by the Olympics (Good Housekeeping, 3 min read)
Céline Dion Emotionally Greets Fans in Head-to-Toe Dior amid Reports She's Performing at Paris 2024 Summer Olympics (People, 4 min read)
It had been rumoured Dion would perform at the ceremony, with some reports even claiming Dion would duet with Lady Gaga at the opening ceremony. As fans watched the long ceremony, which came to an end with a lengthy procession of French athletes passing the Olympic flame, some fans began to give up hope of seeing the singer at all.
One wrote on social media: "I don’t think Celine Dion will perform anymore…#Olympic2024 #OlympicGames #Olympics #celinedion" Another tweeted: "Have I missed #CelineDion singing ? I bet she also got fed up with waiting #Olympics." And another said: "Is Celine Dion singing on olympics or can I go sleep very strange opening ceremony tonight Cant wait till she comes on (massive fan of celine) #Olympics #celinedion"
What else happened at the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris?
Fans became increasingly excited and frustrated as they watched the four hour long ceremony waiting for Dion to appear. Some even began speculating whether Dion was the masked figure carrying an Olympic Torch who kept appearing running through Paris during the ceremony. Or the hooded horse woman who rode into the Trocadero and carried the Olympic flag onto the stage to be raised to mark the start of the games.
Lady Gaga kicked off the Opening Ceremony with a cabaret-style rendition, that left some viewers confused. The Bloody Mary singer performed Renée Jeanmaire’s song Mon Truc en Plumes [My Thing With Feathers], in French and played a grand piano before dancing cabaret-style down golden stairs surrounded by dancers with fluffy pink feather pom poms.
Lady Gaga — whose real name is Stefani Germanotta — is a US citizen born in Manhattan, with Italian heritage. So her appearance at the opening ceremony had many viewers asking "Is Lady Gaga French?"
