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Céline Dion took to social media to react to Kelly Clarkson's rendition of "My Heart Will Go On," the soundtrack of the cult classic movie Titanic. The Canadian powerhouse shared an emotional video on her X account praising Clarkson for her powerful vocals.
Kelly's tribute is part of her singing segment, "Kellyoke," which aired on her self-titled daytime talk show. "I just saw you singing 'My Heart Will Go On,' and I'm crying again," Dion said. You were absolutely incredible. I loved it so much."
Clarkson's love for Dion is mutual. She became emotional when she saw her perform live during the opening ceremony at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris in July. Dion sang Edith Piaf's "L'Hymne à l'amour" from the Eiffel Tower.
Kelly, one of NBC's Olympic commentators alongside Peyton Manning and Mike Tirico, took a moment to appreciate the experience. "I actually can't talk right now," Clarkson said. "If you know anything just about Céline right now, this is her purpose… That she got through that, that was incredible. And in my field, she is the gold winner for vocal athletes.
Dion also said she was aware of Kelly's reaction after the Olympics. "It was so sweet to hear your voice," Dion said. "Your voice was breaking, and it touched me so tremendously."
Céline Dion's rare, incurable neurological disease
In 2022, Dion revealed she’s been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome. “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 to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,” the star wrote in the caption of the post. “It hurts me to tell you that I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.”
“Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological condition called Stiff Person Syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people,” she said in her video. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what has been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having.”
“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life,” Dion continued. “Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
What is the Stiff Person Syndrome?
According to the Stiff Person Syndrome Foundation, this condition affects the central nervous system. “Patients can be disabled, wheelchair-bound or bed-ridden, unable to work and care for themselves,” they informed, adding that common symptoms can include “hyper-rigidity, debilitating pain, chronic anxiety,” and muscle spasms “so violent they can dislocate joints and even break bones.”
Dion highlighted that she has “a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better.” The artist also thanked her three sons, René-Charles, and twins Nelson and Eddy, for their support. “And my precious children who are supporting me and giving me hope,” she said.
The five-time Grammy winner said that she was not giving up. “All I know is singing,” she said. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.” Dion also thanked her fans for their loyalty. “I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you, being on the stage, performing for you. I always give 100 percent when I do my shows, but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now,” she said.