The singer also described how a spasm broke one of her ribs in a new interview
Celine Dion said trying to sing with Stiff Person Syndrome was like trying to sing while “someone is strangling you”, in a preview of his upcoming interview with Hoda Kotbof Today.
“It’s like someone is pushing your larynx, pharynx like that,” Dion continued, pressing her hand to his throat.
Dion continued speaking a little with her hand still on her throat, her voice sounding weak and light. “It’s like you’re talking like this, and you can’t go higher or lower,” she said.
The upcoming primetime special will mark Dion’s first interview since being diagnosed with SPS in 2022. The rare neurological condition – which has prevented her from performing in recent years – can cause stiffness in the body and limbs, as well as debilitating spasms.
In the new excerpt from the interview, Dion said she had spasms in her throat, abdomen, spine and ribs, adding that one of them was so “severe” it left her with a broken rib. She also said that sometimes her limbs are essentially frozen, like when she’s cooking, and her hands are in a position “where you can’t unlock them.”
Dion’s full interview with Kotb will be shown next Tuesday, June 11, at 10pm Brasília time, on NBC.
Back in the spotlight
Although Dion’s SPS diagnosis prevented her from performing, she began to return to the spotlight this year. In January, the Prime Video announced that he was preparing a new documentary, I Am: Celine Dion (premiering June 25), and then she appeared on Grammy Awards 2024 to present Album of the Year. She also gave an interview to Vogue Francewhere he offered some information about his current health status.
“I haven’t beaten the disease, because it’s still inside me and always will be. I hope we find a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but for now I have to learn to live with it,” she said.
“So this is me now, with stiff person syndrome. Five days a week I do athletic, physical and vocal therapy. I work on my toes, knees, calves, fingers, singing, my voice.. I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
