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Canadian music icon Celine Dion has announced her return to the stage after a long break due to a rare health condition, describing the news of her comeback, revealed on her birthday, as “the best gift.”
In a video message shared on social media, the 58-year-old singer said her health had improved and confirmed she would perform a series of concerts in Paris starting in September.
She told fans that being able to perform again felt like a personal milestone, adding that her recovery had allowed her to return to singing and light performances.
“This year, I’m getting the best birthday gift of my life. I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again,” she said.
Dion is also expected to release a new single written by longtime collaborator Jean-Jacques Goldman, according to her representatives.
She is likely to perform the song during her upcoming Paris shows, marking her first major performances in over six years.
Her planned return comes after she stepped away from touring following the cancellation of her “Courage World Tour,” first disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and later by health challenges.
Dion revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare and incurable neurological disorder that affects muscle control and mobility. She later said she had been managing her condition and focusing on recovery.
Despite the diagnosis, she previously expressed determination to return to music, and even made a surprise appearance during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony, where she performed from the Eiffel Tower.
On Monday, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated in her honour as fans gathered to celebrate her announcement, with messages displayed referencing her return and readiness for the stage.
Dion, who rose to international fame after winning the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland, has sold more than 260 million records worldwide and remains one of the most successful artists of her generation.
She is scheduled to perform 10 shows over five weeks at Paris La Défense Arena beginning September 12.
