Canadian singer Céline Dion has reached the halfway point in her marathon of 16 concerts in Paris, marking her big return to the stage after years away. As she works to overcome the effects of a debilitating illness, fans and professionals say the star is not only a music legend, but a fashion icon to boot.
“There is one thing I can tell you in three words: I am doing well,” Dion told the crowd at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre on 12 September, during the first of 16 concerts running until 17 October.
“I have learned to live with this fragility; through living alongside it, I have tamed it and decided to turn it into a source of strength for living.”
Among the 35,000 spectators was Carlotta, who told RFI the opening show gave her “goosebumps”. From the set design and costumes to the staging and choir, “for me, it was Céline’s best show”, she said.
Dion’s return has drawn audiences from France and around the world, including singers Rihanna and Aya Nakamura, former US first lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey.
Return to the stage
"She's a national symbol of Canada. She's our queen in Canada – a source of inspiration and pride," a fan from Toronto told RFI ahead of the first concert.
"I was told by neurologists years ago that she would never sing again, so to fly across the world and see her perform is particularly special for me," he says.
Dion was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, an illness that affects muscular control, and has worked to prepare physically for the new concert series. She has adapted her register to sing several keys lower on some songs, including “All by Myself”.
“The timbre of her voice is still the same, there’s no problem with her vocal cords, but her energy is limited,” vocal coach Elena Hurstel told public broadcaster FranceInfo after the first concert.
“Because of her illness, her muscles no longer have the same capacity. So she’s been forced to adapt her songs.”
Her health problems have not “damaged” her vocal cords, but “the voice always changes with age”, her manager John Nelson told Le Parisien newspaper in early September.
Elegance and warmth
Now at the halfway point of her Paris residency, fears over whether Dion would have the stamina to perform have subsided.
Concert-goers on Wednesday night described the show as “magnificent” and “elegant”, and Dion as particularly “humble” with the crowd.
“She was very sincere and warm towards the audience,” a fan also called Céline told RFI. “She took several opportunities to reassure us about her health, which I found touching.”
Dion spent more than two hours on stage, performing a mix of French and English songs and interacting closely with her musicians.
Another fan, Stéphane, noticed how “people made a special effort to look nice to see the show. It was like in the past when people dressed up for the theatre.”
Dressing up has become a notable part of Dion’s performances, with bold, sculptural outfits designed by fashion houses including Dior, Alaïa, Schiaparelli and Louis Vuitton.
Long caricatured for her sentimentality, extravagance and taste for excess in her clothing, the singer is now courted by major fashion houses and has become a muse both on and off stage.
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Paris fashion moment
Dion made a surprise appearance at the opening of Paris Fashion Week on Monday, drawing cheers from the crowd at the L’Oréal fashion show.
Appearing alongside ambassadors for the French cosmetics brand, including Kendall Jenner and Eva Longoria, she performed “I’m Alive” at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
She has also regularly appeared outside her hotel wearing outfits by Jacquemus, Saint Laurent and Gaultier, to the delight of fans who wait for hours to catch a glimpse of her.
Her looks in recent years have been driven by a common thread – “having fun and surprising people”, French writer Valentin Grimaud told RFI.
The author of Céline Dion Vestale said Dion has shown an ability “to embody a new persona” with each public appearance.
“She might wear a leotard in the middle of Paris, followed by oversized clothing, an outfit entirely covered in a single pattern, or even a wig,” he said. “She used to be criticised for being too predictable.”
Reinvention and renaissance
The rise of TikTok and social media, where a 1980s hit can return to the top of the charts, has also contributed greatly to Dion’s reinvention, Grimaud said.
“At nearly 50, this renaissance came as a surprise, but above all, it reassured her audience by revealing that she was not the caricature people had imagined.”
Grimaud said he suspects the Paris concerts will not be Dion’s final residency.
“I was afraid this comeback might be a bit of a letdown, but it was anything but that,” he said. “It might well be her most elegant show and feature her best vocals in over a decade.”
“This enthusiasm shows that she unites all generations. People are clamouring to see her. Today, she is a legend to the entire world.”
