Céline Dion Makes A Triumphant (and Emotional) Return To The Stage In The 2024 Olympics – Watch
The musical icon performed at the closing part of this year’s opening ceremony, delivering a heartfelt rendition of Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour.”

Photographed by Denise Truscello
Photographed by Denise Truscello
Grammy winner Céline Dion just made a spectacular comeback at this year’s opening ceremony to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The musical icon was the final performer of the ceremony, delivering a breathtaking performance of Édith Piaf’s timeless classic “L’Hymne à l’amour” from the top of the Eiffel Tower as the Olympic cauldron blazed.
Draped in a dazzling floor-length Dior gown that took over 1,000 hours to craft, Dion was accompanied by a pianist, delivering a performance that resonated deeply, marking her first live appearance since March 2020. Her appearance at the event also commemorated nearly 30 years since Dion’s iconic 1996 Olympics performance of “The Power of the Dream” in Atlanta.
The road to this moment has been challenging for the “My Heart Will Go On” singer, following a series of postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of health issues wherein Dion had to cancel her Courage World Tour in 2022. It was also that year wherein the beloved musician revealed her battle with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder causing severe muscle spasms, which could have led to the total loss of her vocal ability.
Dion shared the impact of the condition on her daily life in an emotional video, sharing her ongoing fight through the athletic, physical, and vocal therapy she’s had to embark on for five days a week. From what audiences all across the world saw from her performance, it was evident that her resilience and determination were on full display — leaving everyone in awe.
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, highlighted Dion’s significance to the event. “We wanted to close with a love anthem, and Céline was the obvious choice to sing L’Hymne à l’Amour,” he said. Other fans of Dion’s performance included singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson, who was visibly moved during NBC’s broadcast, as she praised the musical icon as “the gold winner for vocal athletes.”
Dion’s performance quickly went viral, with fans and celebrities alike sharing their admiration on social media. The choice of song also paid homage to Piaf’s own connection to sports, as she wrote “L’Hymne à l’amour” for her lover, French boxer Marcel Cerdan.
Earlier this year, Dion made a surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards wherein she presented Taylor Swift with the Album of the Year for Midnights. Her presence received a standing ovation, which was also leveled with the same reception during the New York premiere of her documentary I Am: Céline Dion.
Listen to Céline Dion’s classic 1997 album, Let’s Talk About Love, below: