Céline Dion suffered symptoms for nearly two decades before she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
In an interview for the September 2026 issue of Harper’s Bazaar, the Canadian superstar recalled how she often experienced severe pain and inability to walk for many years.
“It is a progressive condition. I don’t like to say ‘disease,'” she told the outlet, before describing how she decided to speak about the health crisis in her 2024 documentary, I Am: Celine Dion. “(The fans) paid for tickets. 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 (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder characterised by muscular rigidity.
Following the diagnosis, Céline embarked on a course of rehabilitation, which included new medication, physical therapy, and immunotherapy.
In the lead-up to her upcoming residency at the Plenitude Arena in Paris, France, the My Heart Will Go On hitmaker shared that she has been doing regular Pilates sessions to help maintain her mobility.
And Céline promised her dedicated fans that she will pull out all the stops in her new shows.
“It’s been so long, I would like to offer them something to show how I’ve missed them,” the 58-year-old smiled. “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? So I’m living my life, girl. I’m living the life.”
Céline’s concert residency is due to kick off on 12 September. Comprised of 26 concerts, the run will conclude on 29 May 2027.
