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AGAINST ALL ODDS; the Celine Dion Story.

AGAINST ALL ODDS; the Celine Dion Story.

Inspiration, Lifestyle

‘Celine Dion’ has always been a household name. When we count the queens of pop, she ranks as high as the likes of Whitney Houston and Beyonce. However, this article seeks to explore a little of her background, while focusing majorly on her inspirational comeback to the music scene, as seen just days ago.

Celine’s Background

For most people, being part of a family of singers, might make it difficult to find your path, but not Celine Marie Claudette Dion. From her earliest childhood, this superstar carved a niche for herself; first in the hearts of her parents, and soon, the whole world. 

Born on March 30, 1968, to Thérèse Tanguay and Adhémar Dion in Charlemagne, Québec, in a little town 50 kilometers from Montréal, Celine would perform with her parents and 13 older siblings at neighborhood concerts. Everywhere she went, people were awed by her exceptionally sonorous voice.

From TV appearances to movie soundtracks, Celine Dion always sang with a passion, as one made for global spotlight. As young as 14, she had already earned awards like the gold medal at the 13th Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo.

With over 20 studio albums, and about 20 compilation albums, Dion also has 6 Grammy wins under her belt. She’s widely regarded as the ‘Queen of Power Ballads’

Tragedy Strikes

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the music business, tragedy struck. Celine Dion was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome {SPS) in August 2022. 

In a documentary “I Am: Celine Dion”, released in June, 2024, which chronicled the life and achievements of the singer, an intimate scene revealed her in a most vulnerable moment, wailing in pain as she experiences a seizure.

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) as the name implies, is a rare autoimmune neurological disease with symptoms like involuntary violent muscle stiffness and spasms, hyper-rigidity, shortness of breath, lack of coordination, among others. 

Following the pop legend’s diagnosis, she halted her previously planned tour schedule. In an interview with Vogue France, she’s reported to have said “I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be … for now, I have to learn to live with it.” Thereafter, most people thought she was down and out, until she resurfaced at the Olympic Games, Paris, 2024.

Celine’s astonishing return

Celine Dion’s appearance at the opening ceremony of the games in Paris, came as a surprise. It is notably her first public performance after almost two years of a well deserved hiatus.

The “I’m Alive” singer, dressed in a specifically designed Dior Couture outfit, gave a spectacular performance of of the French song “Edith piaf’s ’Hymne a L’mour’. It was a momentous occasion to all who beheld the 56-year-old legend atop the Eiffel tower.

Taking to her social media, the singer wrote “I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities!”

Though she still struggles with the disease, fans all over the world are inspired by her indefatigable spirit.

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