Celine Dion made an epic return to the stage at the Paris Olympics last night after stepping away from the spotlight when she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.
The Canadian superstar, 56, wrapped up the opening ceremony on Friday (26 July), which took place along the La Seine river in the French capital, leaving music fans welling up with her rendition of 'L’Hymne à l’amour'.
The songstress belted out the track from the first stage on the Eiffel Tower, following performances from the likes of Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane...and even the Minions, which left viewers in 'disbelief'.
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But it was Celine's epic comeback which those watching the 2024 Olympic opening ceremony were most interested in.
Take a look at this:
People couldn't believe how well she put on a show despite the fact she's dealing with a rare and incurable neurological disorder, stiff person syndrome, which she announced to the world in 2022.
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She has largely remained out of the limelight since she her diagnosis, which forced her to cancel her world tour last year - even though it 'broke her heart'.
The 'I'm Alive' singer explained she was 'working really hard to build back her strength' and was excited for when she would be 'really ready to be back on stage again', and it seems that time is now.
In a post on X, Celine said she was 'honoured' to have performed and that she was 'so full of joy' to be back in one of her favourite cities.
She added: "Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance. All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you!"
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Celine continued: "You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!"
Fans of Celine who have watched her heartbreaking Amazon Prime documentary I Am: Celine Dion will know the struggles she has faced.
Stiff person syndrome, which is said to only affect one or two out of every million people, can cause rigidity of the limbs and torso as well as severe muscle spasms.
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Celine's sister Claudette previously told how the Grammy winner 'doesn't have control over her muscles', while the singer herself compared her condition to 'somebody strangling you'.
Earlier this year, she opened up to French Vogue about how she was building her strength back up to make her dreams of performing for fans again come true.
She has been undergoing physical and vocal therapy each day to make it possible and said at the time: "There’s one thing that will never stop, and that’s the will. It’s the passion. It’s the dream. "It’s the determination."
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Celine explained: "The way I see it, I have two choices. 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 the 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. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!"
Last night she not only saw the iconic landmark, but she sang at it too.
You go, Celine!
Topics: Celebrity, Music, Health, Olympics, World News
Olivia Burke