Five-time Grammy winner Céline Dion recently promised fans that she’d return to the stage despite her struggles with stiff person syndrome, and tonight was another big public appearance for her at the NYC premiere of the Amazon MGM Studios documentary, I Am: Céline Dion.
“I hope to see you all again very, very soon,” said the singer of the Oscar-winning Titanic song “My Heart Will Go On”.
The singer, who made her first public appearance in more than three years last October at an NHL Las Vegas game between the Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadien, told Today‘s Hoda Kotb recently “I’m gonna go back onstage, even if I have to crawl…Even if I have to talk with my hands. I will. I will. I am Céline Dion. Because today, my voice will be heard for the first time, not just because I have to, or because I need to.”
Speaking for roughly ten minutes, taking long pauses, and coming to tears, Dion thanked fans exclaiming, “This is by far the biggest crowd I’ve had in a few years.”
“This movie is a love letter to each of you,” an emotional Dion said to a very passionate, packed crowd including Kelly Clarkson, Gayle King and Laverne Cox at NYC Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. How passionate? They clapped rhythmically along to her song “I’m Alive” before filmmaker Irene Taylor and Dion took the stage; the multi-platinum artist giving a thumbs up to the masses from the side of the stage to great cheers.
Dion gave a shoutout to her neurologist who was in the house, the person who “solved this mystery about my health” –Dr. Amanda Piquet– who the crowd also delivered a roaring applause.
“Dr. Piquet has delivered an important resolve for me, she has replaced my fear with hope,” Dion continued.
“Your presence in my journey has been a gift without measure,” Dion added.
Taylor said that during filming Dion only asked for “one thing” from her, “and it was the only thing she asked.”
Continued the filmmaker, “‘Is it possible that you can make a film where it’s not everybody else talking about me? That’s it’s just me talking about me?’ Céline did give me her all. I said that’s a lot of weight to carry in a film, but I’m ready for it if you are.’”
I Am: Céline Dion debuts on Prime Video on June 25
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