Celine Dion cancels 2023-2024 shows over health

Celine Dion cancels 2023-2024 shows over health

The 'My Heart Will Go On' songstress is battling a rare neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and spasms, affecting her singing.

Celine Dion is suffering from stiff-person syndrome, a very rare neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and spasms. (AFP pic)
LONDON:
Pop icon Celine Dion today cancelled all her remaining shows scheduled for 2023-2024, saying she was not strong enough to tour as she battles a rare neurological disorder.

Last year, the 55-year-old Canadian singer revealed that she was suffering from stiff-person syndrome, a rare medical condition that was affecting her singing.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again… and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything until I’m really ready to be back on stage,” she tweeted.

“I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again!” the “My Heart Will Go On” songstress added.

A statement released by her tour said: “With a sense of tremendous disappointment, Celine Dion’s ‘Courage World Tour’ today announced the cancellation of all remaining dates currently on sale for 2023 and 2024.”

The statement further quoted her as saying: “I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%.”

In December, she posted a tearful video on Instagram to say she had recently been diagnosed with the extremely rare neurological condition that causes progressive muscle stiffness, and would not be ready to start a European tour in February as planned.

She said the disorder was causing muscle spasms and was “not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to”.

The “Courage World Tour” began in 2019, and Dion completed 52 shows before the pandemic put the remainder on hold.

She later cancelled the North American section of the tour owing to her health problems.

The tour was to have been the Grammy-winning winner’s first global concert tour in a decade and the first without her husband-manager Rene Angelil, who died from cancer in 2016.

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