The Gist
Céline Dion has arrived in Paris ahead of her five-week residency there beginning on September 12.
On August 28, the Grammy winner greeted fans outside of her hotel in the City of Light.
She wore a belted tan trench coat and oversized black sunglasses, looking thrilled to see the well-wishers.
Ahead of her five-week Paris residency beginning on September 12, Céline Dion made a rare appearance, greeting fans in the City of Light as she arrived at her hotel on August 28.
Céline Dion greeting fans in Paris on August 28, 2026.
Credit: Getty
The singer wore a belted tan trench coat and oversized black sunglasses, her hair fashioned into a chic updo, as she waved to well-wishers and visibly expressed how happy she was to see them.
Céline Dion in Paris on August 28, 2026.
Credit: Getty
Dion—who was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022 after experiencing symptoms for 17 years—has only performed once in the past six years. That was also in Paris, when she dazzled at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024; as Harper’s Bazaar reported in its new profile of her, the singer “has been itching to return to the stage,” adding that the forthcoming Paris residency “is tantamount to a miracle.”
When she turned 58 years old back in March, Dion announced the residency, saying on Instagram, “This year, I’m getting the best birthday gift of my life. I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you.” Tickets sold out so quickly that a second residency—this one three weeks in length—was added for May 2027.
Céline Dion performing at the Paris Olympics on July 26, 2024.
Credit: Getty
A billboard for the singer’s upcoming Paris residency.
Credit: Getty
“It’s been so long, I would like to offer them something to show how I’ve missed them,” Dion told Harper’s Bazaar of her fans. It was the same thinking behind the release of her 2024 documentary I Am: Céline Dion, she added. “They paid for tickets,” she said of why she did the film. “They bought my records. They gave me that luxury. So the least I can do is tell them that I’m alive.”
Stiff Person Syndrome is an extremely rare autoimmune neurological disorder “that can cause muscle stiffness tantamount to paralysis,” according to the outlet. “At times, Dion was in such debilitating pain that she could barely walk. Some days, she’d have to take a high dose of Valium simply to function.”
Céline Dion in New York City on June 17, 2024.
Credit: Getty
“Today, I live one day at a time,” the “My Heart Will Go On” singer previously told People. “The fact that I found the strength to communicate my condition with the world makes me very proud. Maybe my purpose in this life is to help others, and that is the greatest gift.”
To prepare for her Paris shows, Dion committed to an intense training routine that included 90-minute Pilates sessions three times weekly, ballet classes two other days each week, and rehabilitation, which includes everything from new medication to vocal therapy.
“I’m so ready to do this,” she said in a video message posted to social media. “I’m feeling good, I’m strong, I’m feeling excited—obviously, of course, a little nervous.”
The Eiffel Tower in Paris lit up after the Grammy winner announced her upcoming residency there on March 30, 2026.
Credit: Getty
The “Power of Love” hitmaker told E! News in 2024, “For a long time—for so many years—I have felt the love and support of my fans around the world. They helped me to get where I am today.” Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, the outlet asked her why she thinks her fans love her so much.
“It’s got to be because I’m an open book,” she said. “I’m honest, and it’s not always pretty. Sometimes it’s happy things, sometimes it’s sad, but it’s called life.”
“Instead of questioning life, can you live life?” she added. “So I’m living my life, girl. I’m living the life.”
Read the original article on InStyle