Celine Dion will reportedly earn a staggering $2 million for her one-off performance at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday.
The legendary singer, 56, is said to be preparing to return to the stage for the first time since revealing her 17-year battle with stiff-person syndrome.
Céline had already promised that she would return to the stage despite her suffering, “even if she had to crawl.”
And sticking to her guns, Celine is said to be preparing to make her comeback performance in the French city and will reportedly charge the whopping sum to sing a song.
A source has said TMZ that he is “getting ready to go on stage on Friday” and that he is “feeling good” despite his ongoing health battle.
Celine Dion ‘will earn $2 million for singing just one song’ during her comeback performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday amid a harrowing battle with stiff-person syndrome (pictured, performing in 2019)
The legendary singer, 56, is preparing to return to the stage for the first time since revealing her harrowing 17-year battle with stiff-person syndrome.
On Tuesday, Celine was mobbed by fans as she left her hotel in the French capital.
Earlier in the day, Céline looked in high spirits as she flashed a big smile upon arriving at her hotel in Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympics.
As stylish as ever, in an oversized black blazer and a pair of matching smart flared trousers.
Céline wore a white shirt underneath and added loafers, completing her look with a pair of sunglasses.
Céline’s last live performance was during her Courage World Tour in Newark, New Jersey on March 8, 2020. She then cancelled her tour amid the Covid pandemic.
Variety The singer is reportedly rumored to be opening the ceremony on Friday, marking her first performance since stepping away from the spotlight.
He had previously announced that his long-awaited return would be in Paris, in a recent interview with Vogue France.
She said: ‘I have chosen to work with my whole 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!’
Céline had already promised that she would return to the stage in the midst of her suffering, “even if she has to crawl” (a still from her recent documentary for Amazon Prime: I Am Celine)
Standing firm on her stance, Celine is now preparing to make her comeback performance in the French city and will reportedly earn a whopping $2 million for singing one song.
On Tuesday, Céline appeared in high spirits as she arrived at her hotel in Paris ahead of the Olympics.
‘I’ve been telling myself for four years that I’m not going back, that I’m ready, that I’m not ready… The way things are, I can’t just stand here and say: ‘Yes, in four months.
-I don’t know… My body will tell me.
Céline’s harrowing documentary, I Am: Céline Dion, has been praised by critics following its release last month.
The heartbreaking film, captured over a year of filming, follows the star as she struggles to continue her normal life and career amid her diagnosis and earned a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Céline announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with the syndrome, an extremely rare disorder that causes muscles in the torso and limbs to alternate between spasms and stiffness.
Time Critic Rich Juzwiak called the film “the opposite of a vanity project” and praised Dion for her candor, including recording a difficult moment in which she struggles to sing Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is” because of the condition that causes her chest to tighten.
The review says: ‘In some ways, I Am: Celine Dion is a meditation on aging and what happens to stars whose abilities diminish over time, whether a rare diagnosis or not. As tragic and debilitating as it is, Dion’s condition gives her a reason to externalize a lot of feelings that many stars never want to acknowledge.
“No one wants to talk about what it means to be in the prime of their life, but SPS has forced Dion to contemplate just that.”
New York TimesChris Azzopardi praised Dion for allowing “unedited footage” to be included in the film, as well as handling her condition with humour.
In one such scene, Dion suffers a 10-minute spasm while moaning in anguish and is administered painkillers.
‘Dion’s spontaneously expressive personality already shines through her pain in raw images that seem more connected to her healing process, as when her physical therapist scolds her for a cream she hasn’t been applying to her feet. “Give me a break,” she says with playful exasperation.
‘These awkward segments undermine the powerful emotional atmosphere of witnessing Dion transcend her circumstances. Especially when she allows the cameras to linger close, showing some of the bleakest health-related scenes I’ve ever seen from a superstar on screen.’
A synopsis of the film reads: ‘From visiting her haute couture tour wardrobe and personal effects to spending time in the recording studio, the documentary captures the never-before-seen private life of a global megastar.
‘A moving, energetic and poetic love letter to music, I Am: Celine Dion captures over a year of filming as the legendary singer navigates her journey toward living an open and authentic life in the midst of illness.’
Amazon MGM has secured worldwide rights to the documentary and the film will stream on Prime Video.
Irene Taylor directed the documentary produced by Sony Music Vision, Sony Music Entertainment Canada and Vermilion Films.
“I’ve been dealing with health issues for a long time and it’s been really hard for me to face these challenges and talk about everything I’ve been going through,” she said in an emotional video announcing her condition for the first time.
Although she initially postponed her Courage World Tour until spring 2024, the Golden Globe winner decided to cancel it in May.
“As much as it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m truly ready to get back on stage,” she told her loyal fans.
The determined artist seems to have kept her promise to keep working on her health. “I want everyone to know that I will not give up… and I can’t wait to see you all again!” she said at the time.
Celine’s condition has affected her distinctive voice and she has stepped away from performing while she works on her health (photo from 2015)
She revealed her diagnosis in 2022 and previously said it can cause spasms so strong they can break ribs and feel like your throat is being strangled (pictured in 2019)
Celine’s sister recently revealed that the singer had lost control of her muscles due to her condition.
“Celine is a fighter,” a source told US Weekly. “She doesn’t have as much control over her muscles as she used to, but she’s working with doctors and physical therapists to get better.”
The source said: “Celine has taken some time off to focus on her health but plans to return to the stage once her medical team gives her the all clear.”
A second informed person backed up the comments.
“She remains positive and optimistic and does physical therapy every day,” the source said.
‘Getting back on stage in some form is her constant dream, even if she can’t sing anymore; she just wants to see those bright faces.’
Stiff-person syndrome is a “rare autoimmune neurological disorder that typically causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and may worsen over time,” according to John Hopkins Medicine.
