Speculation intensified about Céline Dion’s return to the stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics following her Stiff Person syndrome diagnosis in December 2022, as the 56-year-old Grammy winner was photographed in the City of Lights on Tuesday, July 23. Dion was seen smiling and waving at her admirers while also signing a few autographs outside the Royal Monceau Hotel in the French capital.
Just hours before her spotting, TMZ and Variety reported that the I’m Alive singer will serenade athletes and spectators alike at the abovementioned event’s opening ceremony on Friday, July 26. The former outlet also reported that Dion will receive a $2 million paycheck for one song.
Céline Dion has looked in good health during her recent public appearances
Dion most recently attended the 2024 Upper Deck NHL draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28 to announce the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth-round draft pick. The singer, who is from Canada herself, looked in robust health while navigating her neurological condition.
Before the event, she graced the red carpet for the premiere of her Prime Video documentary I Am: Celine Dion at the Alice Tully Hall in New York City. The songstress, at the time, engaged with the media without breaking a sweat, which was again an uplifting indicator of her health.
The Paris Olympics will mark her comeback to the music scene?
In a cover story for People last month, the Because You Loved Me singer teased her return to the stage, revealing she and her team are already talking about putting a show together. “I have so many ideas; I can’t wait,” she shared. The French-Canadian crooner, in a BBC interview the same month, went on to hint that the said show could be in Las Vegas. “We have been working so hard to put this show together because I’m back,” Dion enthusiastically told the British media outlet. “I’ll be on stage. I don’t know when exactly, but trust me, I will scream it out loud.”
Hoda Kotb, who interviewed Dion for Today, also affirmed the singer’s claim to take the stage soon. She, however, added that she doesn’t know if it will be at the Paris Olympics.
The Paris Summer Games, which kick off later this week, are set to break tradition by hosting the opening ceremony along the Seine River instead of in a stadium. Eighty-five boats will carry athletes from across the globe in a four-mile parade, showcasing the city’s historic landmarks. Artistic director Thomas Jolly will oversee an ensemble of 3,500 performers, including actors, dancers, and musicians, during both the opening and closing ceremonies.
