Celine Dion confessed Monday to wanting to hide behind her fashion to find some comfort when she made a rare appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards amid her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
The famous singer spoke with Vogue for their “Life in Looks” series and discussed her choice to wear a mustard yellow Valentino coat to the awards show. Dion revealed to fans that it wasn’t just a fashion statement, but also an emotional crutch she used as she made her way across the stage to present an award Feb. 4.
“I was like, ‘I can walk onstage with a coat?’ ‘Oh, yeah! You can do whatever you want in fashion. Have a good time. Wear that coat. Own that coat. Go for it,'” she told Vogue. “And it made me feel better for a moment to hold onto this coat, to hide myself a little bit from all these little things,” she said, as she referenced her current health battle.
Dion’s life and career were all dramatically adjusted when doctors diagnosed her with Stiff Person Syndrome.
The debilitating diagnosis is explained as being, “a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Some people experience other symptoms such as an unsteady gait, double vision or slurred speech.”
Dion admitted that in spite of enjoying the spotlight again, the short appearance took a toll on her.
“It was very nerve-wracking, but at the same time, a big honor,” she said, recalling the award night. “That magic. That excitement. To see the fans, to see the crowd. To see show business again.”
“It took a lot, a lot out of me, but my son, Renee Charles, RC, came and gave me his support. And to present the award, the Album of the Year, to Taylor Swift, it’s an honor because she’s having the time of her life, and I am the one that’s presenting it to her,” Dion told Vogue.
The star’s surprise appearance triggered an immediate standing ovation, which warmed her heart. (RELATED: Celine Dion Makes Surprise Appearance At Grammy Awards)
“But it’s always very, very touching, when you have a standing ovation,” she said.