International music star Celine Dion canceled and postponed a series of European shows on Thursday, revealing the changes in plan followed diagnosis of a “very rare neurological disorder” that is affecting her singing.
A five-minute video posted on Instagram in French and English was used by the Canadian to reveal she had been suffering from debilitating health problems “for a long time.”
The 54-year-old said, “As you know, I’ve always been an open book. And I wasn’t ready to say anything before – but I’m ready now. I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time. And it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything that I’ve been going through.”
Dion then revealed she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), which she explained “affects something like one in a million people.”
It has been causing spasms that “affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I’m used to,” she explained.
Watch below as Celine Dion outlines her health diagnosis
The singer had mentioned the spasms when she postponed the European tour earlier this year.
Her spring dates in Europe, which were due to begin in Czech Republic in February, have been pushed back to 2024, while eight of her summer shows have been cancelled entirely.
File/An LED screen displays an advertisement for Celine Dion’s upcoming residency as construction continues at Resorts World Las Vegas on June 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The “Courage World Tour” began in 2019, and Dion had completed 52 shows before the Covid-19 pandemic put the remainder on hold.
She later cancelled the North American section of the tour due to her health problems, AFP reports.
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