Amid battle with stiff-person syndrome, the singer makes her acting debut in and contributes five new songs to upcoming rom-com
CELINE DION MAKES her acting debut in the upcoming rom-com Love Again, and on Thursday, the singer released the title track from the film’s soundtrack, which features five new Dion songs.
The lyric video for the ballad — composed of clips from the film — features Dion, as well as the Love Again stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan, plus a surprise cameo by Nick Jonas.
“I’ve been dealing with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and talk to about the things that I’ve been going through,” Dion said in Dec. 2022. “Recently, I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome, which affects something like one-in-a-million people. While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this has what’s been causing all the spasms that I’ve been having.”
In Oct. 2021, Dion postponed the opening of her new Las Vegas residency due to “severe and persistent muscle spasms,” which also forced the cancelation of her North American tour in Jan. 2022. In April, she postponed the European tour until spring 2023 due to “health issues.”
The Love Again soundtrack — due out on May 12 — marks Dion’s first new English-language music since her 2019 album Courage.
“I had a lot of fun doing this movie. And to have the privilege of appearing with the beautiful and talented actors Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan in my very first feature film is a gift that I will cherish forever,” Dion said in a statement (via People). “I think it’s a wonderful feel-good story, and I hope that people will like it, and like the new songs too.”
Love Again also finds Dion returning to music for the first time since she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that previously forced her to cancel numerous tours over the past two years.
“The good news is that I’m doing a little bit better. It’s going very slow, and it’s very frustrating to me,” Dion said at the time without revealing her diagnosis.
The optimistic Dion postponed her spring 2023 European dates to spring 2024 and canceled eight of her upcoming summer 2023 shows; the earliest Dion might return to the stage, as of now, is in late Aug. 2023, as her European concerts spanning Aug. 26 to Oct. 4, 2023, remain on the schedule.
