Real reason why Celine Dion's voice will sound different at Olympics comeback (2024)

I Am: Celine Dion teased in trailer from Prime Video

Celine Dion has got fans roaring and ready for her return to music and performing.

The 56-year-old music icon has been confirmed to be one of the stars headlining the 2024 Olympic opening ceremony in Paris on Friday night.

She is believed to be duetting with fellow pop megastar Lady Gaga to perform a joint rendition of Edith Piaf's classic La Vie en Rose.

While this is no debatably exciting news for fans, it has been no secret that the My Heart Will Go On singer's voice has changed slightly over the years - and it is expected to sound a little different when she performs at the ceremony tonight.

Here's why Celine's voice doesn't sound like it once used to...

In 2022 the singer went public with her tragic Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis, a rare and incurable neurological disorder that affects her ability to sing and walk.

READ MORE Celine Dion looks emotional leaving Olympics rehearsals ahead of 'performance'

In a post on Instagram, Celine said that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, or SPS, which is believed to impact around one or two people per million.

“As you know, I’ve always been an open book," she wrote at the time, adding: "And I wasn’t ready to say anything before — but I’m ready now. I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time.

"And it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything that I’ve been going through," she

Stiff Person Syndrome causes rigid muscles throughout the body, as well as a heightened sensitivity to light and noise. concluded.

These spasms can also affect the muscles near her vocal cords - resulting in Celine's powerful voice sounding slightly different.

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"The spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to," Celine explained in her diagnosis announcement.

Dr. Marinos Dalakas, a professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, also described how the condition can impact someone's voice.

"When this affects the diaphragm or affects the laryngeal muscles or the vocal cord muscles, the voice becomes very thin, it doesn't come out strong, it is fragmented," he told CTVNews.

Individually, these spasms can be caused by a variety of things, such as external factors like loud noises, stress, and bright lights, but DR. Dalakas noted they can also impact specific muscles and not the whole body.

Real reason why Celine Dion's voice will sound different at Olympics comeback (2)

Celine opened up about her journey with Stiff Person Syndrome during her recent Amazon Prime doc (Image: Amazon Prime Video)

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    Tara Zier, who was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2027, detailed her own experience when the condition impacted her vocal cords.

    "It's kind of a hoarseness," Tara told CTVNews, adding: "It's a little bit different than a cold, where it almost feels restricted, like tight, a little bit of a restricted airway."

    Despite her SPS diagnosis, Celine vowed to continue singing and it is apparent she has stuck to her promise by not letting the disease stand in her way.

    "Cause you don’t have to move a mountain, just keep moving, every move is a new emotion, and you don’t have to find the answers, just keep trying," a defiant Celine once said.

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    Real reason why Celine Dion's voice will sound different at Olympics comeback (2024)

    FAQs

    Real reason why Celine Dion's voice will sound different at Olympics comeback? ›

    Stiff Person Syndrome causes rigid muscles throughout the body, as well as a heightened sensitivity to light and noise. concluded. These spasms can also affect the muscles near her vocal cords - resulting in Celine's powerful voice sounding slightly different.

    What makes Celine Dion's voice so unique? ›

    Celine has a warm, mature and full voice. The main distinction between a light and full lyric is the maturity of the voice. Celine sounds like a woman, rather than a young girl, meaning she is a full-lyric. Celine is a great example of a full-lyric as she doesn't push or scream her belts.

    Did Celine Dion sing at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony? ›

    Celine Dion delivered a dazzling performance during the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony. Underneath the Eiffel Tower's Olympic rings, Dion showed she was in singing form after a career-threatening diagnosis as her vocals soared on Edith Piaf's “Hymn to Love.”

    What is the song that Celine Dion sang at the Olympics? ›

    Édith Piaf: “Hymne à l'Amour

    On Friday night, Dion gave another stirring opening ceremony performance destined to go down in history, singing this song made famous by Piaf inside the Eiffel Tower to kick off the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    Is Celine Dion performing in the 2024 Olympics? ›

    Dion was one of the performers at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Global music icon Celine Dion made her triumphant return to the stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

    Which singer has the most unique voice? ›

    These 20 singers have most unique voices of all-time
    • 1 of 20. Joni Mitchell. Robert Knight Archive/Redferns. ...
    • 2 of 20. Bjork. Santiago Felipe/Getty Images. ...
    • 3 of 20. Bob Dylan. Gai Terrell/Redferns. ...
    • 4 of 20. Shakira. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic. ...
    • 5 of 20. Chris Cornell. ...
    • 6 of 20. Janis Joplin. ...
    • 7 of 20. Neil Young. ...
    • 8 of 20. Freddie Mercury.
    Jul 16, 2024

    Where does Celine Dion's accent come from? ›

    She asserted she was—and would always be—a French, not an English, artist. Indeed, to this day she speaks English with a noticeable Quebec French accent.

    Did Céline Dion perform live at the Olympics? ›

    Céline Dion was the finale of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday — marking her first public concert in four years since battling stiff-person syndrome. She sang Edith Piaf's Hymne à l'amour from the Eiffel Tower.

    Is Céline Dion French or Canadian? ›

    Also in 1983 she became the first Canadian recipient of a gold record in France. Invited to represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988, Dion won with her performance of “Ne partez pas sans moi” (“Do Not Leave Without Me”).

    Who's singing at the Olympics in 2024? ›

    Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and more delivered epic performances during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony Friday. Gaga kicked off the performances at the opening ceremony with a spectacular rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire's "Mon truc en plumes."

    Did Céline Dion sing live at the opening ceremony? ›

    Céline Dion sang live during Olympics opening ceremony, unlike Lady Gaga: report. Céline rehearsed secretly at 3 a.m. from the Eiffel Tower the day before.

    What famous song did Céline Dion sing? ›

    In the late 1990s, arguably no song loomed larger in mainstream culture than Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."

    Which country did Céline Dion sing for? ›

    The 1988 Eurovision Song Contest is best remembered for one most exciting voting sequences in the history of the contest. Switzerland's entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi performed by Céline Dion beat the runner-up, the United Kingdom's Scott Fitzgerald by just a single point.

    Who will replace Celine Dion in Vegas? ›

    Bette Midler will replace Celine Dion as headliner at Caesar's Palace Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas.

    What song did Lady Gaga sing at the Olympics in 2024? ›

    And while Gaga's eye-popping take on Zizi Jeanmaire's “Mon Truc en Plumes” (“My Thing With Feathers”) appeared to dodge the raindrops, that's because it was pre-taped to avoid any potential weather-related issues according to choreographer and head of dance for the Olympics and Paralympics Maud le Pladec.

    Who is holding the 2024 and 2028 Olympics? ›

    Currently, Paris is hosting 10,500 athletes representing 205 delegations. As the Summer 2024 Olympics kick off Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is visiting Paris to see what she can learn as LA prepares to host in 2028.

    What kind of voice has Celine Dion? ›

    If you wanna talk about vocals, Celine Dion is a classically trained soprano, with chops like Kristin and soul like Whitney. She has created major albums with some of the world's most renowned artists, and at times nearly-singlehandedly kept classical music relevant.

    Why is Celine Dion so special? ›

    Her first albums, recorded in French, gained her wide acclaim, and in 1983 she was the first Canadian ever to receive a Gold Record in France. While her albums turned platinum, she received multiple Felix Awards. In 1988, Céline took the Eurovision Song Contest by storm in Dublin, Ireland.

    Does stiff-person syndrome affect singing? ›

    Instead, she's been fighting back against a rare autoimmune neurological disorder known as stiff person syndrome (SPS), which affects her ability to move and, yes, sing. Speaking to NBC's Hota Kotb on Tuesday, Dion revealed the uncomfortable truth about living with SPS. “It's like somebody is strangling you.

    What is Celine Dion's personality? ›

    As an ENTP, Celine tends to be expressive, curious, and spontaneous. Celine generally enjoys debating and thinking about issues from different perspectives.

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