Celine Dion Faces Controversy Over Allegations of Pre-Recorded Olympic Performance

Celine Dion, the renowned Canadian singer, has found herself at the center of a controversy following her highly praised performance at the Olympic Games opening ceremony in July. Despite the emotional and well-received performance of French singer Édith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à L’amour’ in front of the Eiffel Tower, insiders are now claiming that the set was pre-recorded.

The performance marked Celine Dion’s first stage appearance since 2020 and her first public performance since announcing her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in 2022. The illness, which affects the central nervous system, has been described as turning people into ‘human statues’ due to its severe symptoms. Despite these challenges, Dion’s performance was hailed as the ‘emotional highlight’ of the Olympics by French President Emmanuel Macron.

However, music experts and industry sources have come forward to suggest that the performance was not live. A sound engineer, speaking anonymously to Liberation newspaper, claimed that ‘it was 100% playback, you can hear it from the first notes.’ Classical pianist and musician Etienne Guéreau also supported this claim, stating that ‘what we heard on TV was a corrected playback.’ Additionally, a musician known as Wings of Pegasus on YouTube noted that the performance sounded identical to Celine Dion’s rehearsal, which is technically improbable given the natural disparities in live performances.

Fans have quickly come to Dion’s defense, with many expressing that the authenticity of the performance does not diminish the emotional impact it had. One fan wrote, ‘You don’t have more important information to repeat? What is this need to tarnish, to denigrate? We don’t care You won’t take away the emotion we felt at that moment. Celine Dion’s vocal performance is admirable regardless.’ Another fan noted, ‘She’s sick, let her lip sync.

Celine Dion has not issued a statement regarding these claims. Her representatives have been contacted by Metro.co.uk for comment but have yet to respond).