Celine Dion stunned the world when she returned to the stage almost two years after announcing her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis. But insiders are now claiming her Olympic Games opening ceremony set was pre-recorded.
The 56-year-old Canadian-born singer moved fans with her performance of French singer Édith Piaf’s Hymne à L’amour (Hymn to Love) in front of the Eiffel Tower in July.
Marking her first performance since 2020 and the first since going public with her diagnosis, social media exploded with praise, and French President Emmanuel Macron called it the ‘emotional highlight’ of the Olympics.
However, Celine, 56, is now facing claims that her performance was ‘without a shadow of a doubt’ pre-recorded after music experts spoke to Liberation newspaper for an article titled ‘Did Celine Dion lip-sync during the Olympic opening ceremony?’
Choosing to remain anonymous, a sound engineer spoke to the outlet, where they claimed: ‘It was 100% playback, you can hear it from the first notes.’
Classical pianist and musician Etienne Guéreau also weighed in on the matter, telling the respected news outlet: ‘What we heard on TV was a corrected playback.’
In addition to the music industry sources, a musician with 25 years of experience, known on YouTube as Wings of Pegasus, believes the performance sounded the same as Celine’s rehearsal.
He said the problem with this is that it is technically impossible, as songs will often have disparities even if they are performed by the same person.
Celine has not issued a statement regarding the claims.
The report upset fans, who were quick to defend the five-time Grammy winner. One fan called the star’s performance ‘admirable regardless’.
‘You don’t have more important information to repeat? What is this need to tarnish, to denigrate? We don’t care! You won’t take away the emotion we felt at that moment. Celine Dion’s vocal performance is admirable regardless.’ McyLuce wrote.
Kristina Adams wrote: ‘Who cares – she was great either way’.
One fan, Tostitwo, referenced her health battle and said, ‘She’s sick, let her lip sync.’
It comes after the star, known for her songs like My Heart Will Go On and I’m Alive, released her Prime Video documentary detailing her battle with the life-altering illness.
Director Irene Taylor spoke to Metro.co.uk soon before its release, admitting that some scenes were ‘unbearable’ to film, particularly the moment Celine’s foot began to spasm, leading to her entire body seizing up while experts rushed to her aid.
As her seizure progressed, the mother of three was screaming in pain as her medical team worked to slow her symptoms.
‘The hardest moment to film, the hardest moment to just be in the room with, was when she had her medical episode,’ Irene said.
‘That went on for quite a long time, between 40 minutes and an hour, depending on where you call it beginning and ending. It’s about five minutes in the film.
‘That was almost unbearable. But I let my intellect kick in, and my director of photography and I, we ploughed through it, I would say.
‘That was very difficult, certainly the most extraordinarily unpleasant and extraordinary thing I had ever witnessed in real time while my cameras were rolling.’
Celine was diagnosed in 2022 with the illness, which affects the central nervous system and is said to turn people into ‘human statues’.
Despite the pain it causes, the singer vowed she would return to the stage for her fans: ‘If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. But I won’t stop.’
metro.co.uk has reached out to Celine’s representatives for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Toni Vaz, Hollywood’s first Black stuntwoman, dies aged 101
MORE : R Kelly’s daughter claims she was sexually abused by the disgraced singer
MORE : Legendary 90s group cancel tour at the last minute over ‘unforeseen circumstances’
