Celine Dion announces comeback in Paris

Canadian singer Celine Dion chose her birthday to announce that she will return to the stage, with concerts scheduled in Paris later this year.

The much‑anticipated announcement followed an ad campaign in the streets of Paris that had fuelled speculation that the French‑speaking star, best known for her powerful ballads, would stage her comeback in the French capital.

The 10 shows will be spread out over September and October.

"This year, I will receive the best gift of my life. I will have the chance to come and see you and to sing for you again in Paris starting this autumn, in September," Dion, who turned 58 on Monday, said on French TV station France 2.

The announcement was simultaneously advertised through a light show on the Eiffel Tower. Pre-sale tickets will go on sale on April 7, while the general sale will start on April 10.

The performer rose to global stardom in the late 1990s with My Heart Will Go On, the theme song of the blockbuster film Titanic.

She put her career on hold in 2022 for medical reasons, saying at the time that she had been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff‑Person Syndrome, which causes severe muscle spasms. It left her unable to sing.

The diagnosis led her to postpone, then cancel, her Courage World Tour.

One of the world's all-time top earners from combined album sales and concert revenue, Dion performed two residencies in Las Vegas from 2003 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2019. At the time, these were considered the most profitable gigs ever.

She made a first reappearance after two years of silence during the 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony with a version of Edith Piaf's Hymne a l'amour.

Her performance then led to speculation that she might one day return to major stages around the world.