Celine Dion is living with Stiff Person Syndrome – but the point is, she’s living.
In an interview with Vogue France, the celebrated Grammy winner, who has been living an ultra private life since she diagnosis, spoke candidly about her condition for the first time.
Not only does she open up about her life today, but Celine Dion’s living with the reality that she may never perform again.
And she’s just not having it.
The superstar performs during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on May 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Celine’s ‘Determination’ Will Help Her Perform Again
“I was born to communicate on stage,” Celine proclaimed in the Vogue interview.
On the heels of her surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammys and ahead of the release of a candid documentary about her health, Celine sat down for her first, real interview in nearly four years.
She shared how painful her journey has been since being diagnosed with Stiff Persons Syndrome and how the diagnosis has not only affected her, but everyone in her orbit.
Like the fans who loved to watch her on stage. “People always came to see me sing,” Celine said. “And that, for me, was the proof that I was, and that I am, truly a singer. One thing is for sure, I will love this feeling until my dying day.”
But the truth of it is, Celine’s return to the stage may never happen. In fact, Celine admits that she herself believed for a long time that it would be impossible with her condition. However, today she’s fighting harder than ever.
“My body will tell me,” Celine admitted, before adding: “I don’t just want to wait.”
“It’s morally hard to live from day to day. It’s hard, I’m working very hard and tomorrow will be even harder. Tomorrow is another day. But there’s one thing that will never stop, and that’s the will. It’s the passion. It’s the dream. It’s the determination,” she added.
Singer Celine Dion attends the world premiere of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 2, 2017. (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
Where Is Celine Dion Living As She Recovers?
What exactly that determination looks like is pretty incredible.
“Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy,” Celine explained. “I work on my toes, my knees, my calves, my fingers, my singing, my voice… I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself.”
On top of the continual work she’s doing to condition herself despite her disease, Celine also revealed she’s still living Las Vegas, the city that made her a megastar. Her residency at Caesars Palace not only broke records, but it paved the way for the next generation of superstars to make names for themselves on the strip.
It’s also the place fans hope she’ll return if and when she returns to the stage. Thankfully, Celine still lives in the area.
“I got a home in Las Vegas when my eldest son was one, twenty two years ago today, and we have moved in here,” Celine shared.
“I am 35 minutes away from work. That gives me the time to get ready to go to work. I can see my team, we joke around with each other, we rehearse singing… And then that gives me the chance to get on the road. I eat in the car, I get home, I see my children, and I can sleep in my own bed. I have the best of both worlds.”
Celine Dion speaks onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
The Future For Celine: “One Day at a Time”
The truth is, no one knows what the future holds for the superstar. However, with this interview, and her upcoming documentary debuting in the summer, Celine is out to prove she’s still living and loving the life she can live.
“My dream is to live in the present. One day at a time. I am truly very lucky,” she said, before adding some incredible perspective.
“And I am honored to be doing a photo shoot for Vogue France because although I had better health and beauty at 30, I didn’t get asked to do one then. I am very proud that at 55, I am being asked to reveal my beauty … Today, I am a woman, who feels strong and positive about the future. One day at a time.”
And that’s the way it is.
Celine Dion’s Living For Her Return To The Stage: I’m ‘Determined’ was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.