Singer Celine Dion cancels world tour due to crippling illness
Canadian pop singer Celine Dion has announced that she will be canceling all dates on her Courage World Tour due to a serious illness that is making her performing difficult.
The announcement comes four months after the 55-year-old singer said she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome that causes muscle spasms.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Celine Dion makes a major health announcement.
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The disruption forced her to postpone some performances on her tour.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint you all once again,” the singer, best known for the theme song “My Heart Will Go On” to the Titanic film, wrote on Instagram on Friday morning.
“I’m working really hard to regain my strength, but tours can be very difficult even when you’re at 100 percent.
“It’s not fair to you to keep postponing shows and while it breaks my heart, it’s best to cancel everything now until I’m really ready to get back on stage. I want you all to know that I’m not giving up… And I can’t wait to see you again!”
The European leg of the tour consisted of 42 shows in seven cities from late August to early October and an additional 17 cities in northern Spring 2024.
Dion said ticket holders would receive a refund.
Fans took to social media to express their fears and concerns for the singer.
“I’m so worried about you,” said one. “But please focus on your health.”
“We just need you to take good care of yourself,” said another. “Your health is the only thing that matters.”
Stiff person syndrome causes muscle stiffness and increased sensitivity to sound, touch, and emotional stimuli that can trigger convulsions.
The condition prompted the multiple Grammy winner to postpone her October 2021 residency in Las Vegas.
Speaking about her condition, Dion revealed how painful it was for her to perform.
“Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life and sometimes cause difficulty walking, so I can’t use my vocal cords to sing like I used to,” she said in a video released last year .
The tour – their first in the United States in 10 years – kicked off in Quebec City in September 2019.
This was accompanied by the release of their latest album Courage.
The singer said the album’s title was inspired by the death of her husband and manager Rene Angelil from throat cancer in 2016.
– With Reuters
