Celine Dion made a shock appearance at the 2024 Grammy Awards to present the Album of the Year award.
The 55-year-old musician has been out of the spotlight after she revealed in December 2022 that she has stiff-person syndrome - a rare and incurable neurological disease that causes progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
At the time, Dion posted a video about canceling her upcoming tour dates and said she would be prioritizing her health during this difficult time, adding: "I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it has been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through."
When discussing how the disease has impacted aspects of her life, the star said: "Unfortunately, these spasms 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."
On Sunday (February 4), the 'My Heart Will Go On' songstress received a huge standing ovation from the star-studded Grammy audience as she walked onstage with the support of eldest son Rene-Charles Angelil.
Dion presented the Album of the Year award to Swift for Midnights (2022), which occurred 27 years after Diana Ross and Sting presented the prize to her.
Upon taking to the stage, the 'Power of Love' hitmaker was all smiles, before emotionally telling the crowd: "Thank you, all! I love you right back. You look beautiful. When I say I'm happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart."
Watch Dion's speech below:Dion continued her heartfelt speech - which comes three months after her last public appearance - and said: "Those who have been blessed enough to be here at the Grammy Awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people all around the world.
"And now it gives me great joy to present a Grammy Award that two legends Diana Ross and Sting presented to me 27 years ago. These are the outstanding nominees for album of the year," she concluded.
The award ultimately went to the 34-year-old singer, who made history by becoming the first artist to win the prize for a fourth time, having previously won for Fearless, 1989, and Folklore.
The popstar overtook Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and Frank Sinatra, who had tied with her on three wins apiece.
During her hiatus amid her health battles, Dion's sister, Claudette, regularly kept her fans updated on her condition.
Last December, Claudette disclosed that the neurological disorder affected the 'All By Myself' singer's ability to walk and sing, thus suspending all of her live performances.
"She works hard, but she doesn’t have control over her muscles," she said in an interview with French magazine 7 Jours (via the Daily Mail). "What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined. She’s always worked hard."
Last week, Amazon MGM announced it will release a new documentary about Dion titled I Am: Celine Dion, which will span about a year and shed light on the musician's battle with stiff person syndrome.
Dion revealed in a statement shared on Instagram that she hopes the documentary will "raise awareness of this little-known condition," adding: "This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me.
"As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans. During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life... to help others who share this diagnosis," she concluded.
I Am: Celine Dion, directed by Oscar-nominated Irene Taylor, will be released globally on Prime Video at an undisclosed date.
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