French-Canadian pop star Céline Dion closed the July 26 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on a high note with a stunning surprise performance.
After weeks of anticipation and rumors that she would take the stage for the games, the singer stepped up to the stage on the Eiffel Tower and performed “Hymne A L’Amour.”
Later, she wrote on social media that she was "honored" to play a role in the ceremony.
"I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities!" she wrote alongside a slideshow of photos from the evening.
"Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance," she continued. "All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you! You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!"
On Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, users fawned over her performance, calling her an "icon and a living legend."
"With everything she has gone through, it's amazing to see @celinedion singing again," one X user wrote. She’s still amazing. #OpeningCeremony."
"Celine Dion from downtown at the buzzer," another X user commented on the performance.
The singer's performance shined, but the support she received from her accompanying pianist did not go unnoticed.
"May I always have friends who encourage and support me the way Celine Dion’s pianist has been fist pumping along to her performance because he’s so in awe of her #OpeningCeremony," a fan added to the conversations.
During the live broadcast, immediately after the performance, Kelly Clarkson said she "actually can't talk," clearly emotional. Clarkson went on to describe Dion as a "vocal athlete."
TODAY's Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie also shared a video wiping away tears following Dion's performance.
The Grammy winner's return to the stage marks her first performance in two years.
Dion revealed that in December 2022, she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Her world tour was canceled a month later.
The singer's surprise appearance at the Grammys earlier this year marked her return to the public eye. But fans were wondering: When would she return to performing?
Dion told Hoda in a June 2024 interview she was determined to perform again.
"I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands, I will. I will," she told Hoda.
Tune in to the Paris Olympics on NBC and Peacock.
