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.

    Did Celine lip sync at the Olympics? ›

    She was definitely singing; the song was a lower range than what she would usually do, but she was absolutely singing. Even her pianist looked impressed when she was done (who also wouldn't be necessary if this was pre-recorded). Also, Gaga didn't lip synch either and definitely not the opera singers.

    Did Celine Dion really sing 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.

    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 live at Paris Olympics? ›

    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.”

    Why do so many singers lip sync? ›

    Some artists lip sync because they are not confident singing live and want to avoid singing out of tune. Because the film track and music track are recorded separately during the creation of a music video, artists usually lip sync their songs and often imitate playing musical instruments as well.

    Did Aretha Franklin lip sync? ›

    The soul legend said that she had sung live for her inauguration performance in 2009, because "I wanted to give people the real thing" and that "pre-recording never crossed my mind". She did admit to lip-synching once previously when she performed The Star-Spangled Banner at a NBA final in 2004.

    How was Celine able to perform at the Olympics? ›

    Celine Dion Trained 'Like an Athlete' Before the Olympics to Manage Stiff Person Syndrome. The singer's performance at the opening ceremony marked her triumphant return to stage.

    Did Celine Dion have voice lessons? ›

    In 1989, during a concert on the Incognito tournée, she injured her voice. She consulted the otorhinolaryngologist William Gould, who gave her an ultimatum: have immediate surgery on her vocal cords or do not utilize them at all for three weeks. Dion chose the latter and underwent vocal training with William Riley.

    Did Pavarotti sing with Celine Dion? ›

    Celine Dion performed a sensational duet with Luciano Pavarotti singing 'I Hate You Then I Love You', a song released by Celine the year before in 1997.

    Does Celine Dion have a good voice? ›

    From her Earth-shattering belts to her pitch-perfect runs, below are six goosebump-inducing moments that prove Dion is one of the greatest pop singers ever.

    Who has the most unique voice in the world? ›

    From rock icon Freddie Mercury to pop queen Miley Cyrus, these artists have a sound that is uniquely their own.
    • 1 of 20. Joni Mitchell. Robert Knight Archive/Redferns. ...
    • 2 of 20. Bjork. ...
    • 3 of 20. Bob Dylan. ...
    • 4 of 20. Shakira. ...
    • 5 of 20. Chris Cornell. ...
    • 6 of 20. Janis Joplin. ...
    • 7 of 20. Neil Young. ...
    • 8 of 20. Freddie Mercury.
    Jul 14, 2024

    Is Celine Dion one of the best singers of all time? ›

    Celine Dion fans are outraged she didn't make the cut. Rolling Stone magazine named the greatest singers of all time, and while 200 artists made the list, Celine Dion was not one of them — shocking fans and sparking outrage on social media.

    Does Celine Dion sing in French or English? ›

    Dion continued to have chart hits in both English and French, often in several countries (including France) simultaneously. Céline Dion à l'Olympia (1994) made her the world's biggest-selling French-language singer. Her album D'Eux (1995) became the best-selling French album in history.

    Who's singing at the Olympics in 2024? ›

    Top moments from the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony:

    Céline Dion closed out the night by singing “L'Hymne à l'amour” from the base of the Eiffel Tower. It marked her first performance since she announced her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in 2022. Lady Gaga also performed earlier in the opening ceremony.

    What song did Celine Dion sing at the opening ceremony in Paris? ›

    'Cook'N Bacon' Earn First U.S. Medals in Paris

    In a true highlight of the Opening Ceremony, Celine Dion sang “L'Hymne à l'amour” by Édith Piaf. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Dion on social media for her performance.

    Did Celine Dion lip sync Paris? ›

    The only artist who didn't lip sync tonight, I believe. She was phenomenal!!

    Did Pavarotti ever lip sync? ›

    There is no shame in Pavarotti having lip synched his final public performance. Not only was he pressurised into participating, but the icy cold night air certainly wasn't appropriate for Opera singing, and, moreover, Pavarotti was genuinely ailing.

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