Céline Dion Rumored for a Show-Stopping Performance at the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

She is widely regarded as one of the great singers in the history of popular music, but for the past few years, Céline Dion has been unable to perform. In an interview from 2024, though, Céline said that she hoped to retake the stage one day and perform again.

As more and more fans learn about Céline's condition and its heartbreaking ramifications, many want to know what her future in performance looks like. Here's what we know about whether she still sees performing as part of her future.

In July 2024, speculation ran rampant online about Céline Dion performing at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. On July 23, French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Dion would indeed be taking the stage to sing Édith Piaf’s "L'Hymne à l'amour."

Additionally, many fans are buzzing about a potential duet with Lady Gaga. On July 24, French journalist Thierry Moreau shared on X that the two singers had been rehearsing a duet of Piaf’s "La Vie en Rose." TMZ quickly corroborated the report less than an hour later.

Lady Gaga opened the ceremony with a solo rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire's "Mon Truc En Plumes," performing on a set of stairs by the Seine River. While it's yet to be confirmed whether she'll join Celine Dion for a duet, fans are eagerly hoping for it!

Céline canceled tour dates multiple times throughout 2022 before officially announcing that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS).

SPS is a progressive neurological disorder that muscle spasms in the torso, arms, and legs, as well as muscle spasms and increased sensitivity to noise. She has not performed since, and because the disease is progressive, many fans were not hopeful about her chances of returning to the stage.

In an interview with Vogue France, though, Céline herself said that she still wants to return to performing.

"Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy. I work on my toes, my knees, my calves, my fingers, my singing, my voice," she said. “I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself. At the beginning I would ask myself: Why me? How did this happen? What have I done? Is this my fault?”

Céline added that she was not sure whether she would be able to come back to the stage.

"I can’t answer that… Because for four years I’ve been saying to myself that I’m not going back, that I’m ready, that I’m not ready... As things stand, I can’t stand here and say to you: 'Yes, in four months.' I don’t know... My body will tell me," she explained.

It's unclear how well Céline can sing at this point, but one thing is for sure: She still loves to sing.

"I started performing when I was 5," she said. "Did I want to be a singer? I never had time to ask myself that question. Did people come to see me to hear me tell jokes or to hear me sing? I am a singer."

"I sing in English, in French, I’ve sung in Mandarin, I’ve sung in Japanese, in Spanish and in Italian and people have come, they’ve always come," she added. "That, for me, was the proof that I was, and that I am, truly a singer. One thing’s for sure, I’ll love that feeling until the day I die."

The answer to whether Céline will perform again and whether she'll tour again are likely the same. She doesn't know, but she certainly hopes to be able to. "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!" she said.