Celine Dion gave Paris a gift nobody saw coming on Monday night. The 58-year-old singer stepped onto the L’Oréal runway beneath the Eiffel Tower and sang ‘I’m Alive,’ her 2002 hit, to a crowd that had come expecting models. According to Agence France-Presse, she performed with her hair loose in a sleek black gown and was met with rapturous applause. The BBC described the dress as a ruched, full-length black velvet gown.
The song choice said plenty on its own. Dion was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in 2022, a rare neurological condition that forced her away from the stage. The BBC notes that her last concert before this year took place in New Jersey in 2020, shortly before the pandemic ended her tour. She finally returned earlier this month with a run of shows in the French capital, a comeback DYR followed when she announced her return to full concerts.
Celine Dion Shares The Runway With Viola Davis And Eva Longoria
Once the last note faded, Dion was joined on the catwalk by L’Oréal ambassadors Viola Davis, Simone Ashley, Aja Naomi King and Eva Longoria. Both AFP and the BBC report that the surprise capped the brand’s annual Paris Fashion Week show. Her work in the city is far from finished. AFP reports that her Paris run totals 26 concerts, with 16 scheduled for September and October and 10 more planned for May 2027. For fans who wondered whether they would ever hear that voice live again, Monday’s answer came in the title of the song.