If you’ve been paying attention to the 2024 Paris Olympics, you may not have been surprised to see superstar Celine Dion perform during the Opening Ceremony. You may have also seen the sad news about her 2022 diagnosis of a rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person’s Syndrome that threatened to end her iconic career.
Several years ago, I was listening to an interview with the Indigo Girls on a local radio show and the host, a progressive, nonconventional type, asked the singers who they most admired and wanted to meet in the music world. Their resounding response was Celine Dion.
“Mic Drop”!
The edgy radio host was notably shocked by the girls’ unexpected reply and made a rather offhanded and snarky remark, which essentially devalued the relevance of Dion’s feminine powerhouse status during a time when “Grunge” was all the rage.
But the two folk singers unapologetically shot back saying, “Celine Dion is one of the most powerful, influential, and highly regarded women in music. Most people have no idea who she really is and the level of respect she has garnered inside and out of the music industry.” They went on to say that Celine did more behind the scenes work on behalf of female artists and other talent coming up through the ranks than just about anyone else at the time.
I wasn’t really a big fan, but this was a powerful message for me, and I recall thinking:
“Wow, how authentic is it that Indigo Girls, who could have named any number of music icons at the time, instead stepped up and spoke their truth on behalf of another woman who represented an entirely different lifestyle and musical genre. It really didn’t matter to them who might have been in judgment of their blatant audacity to stand in their Truth. They chose to see through the veil of illusion in appreciation of the beauty within.
This memory came back to me as I watched Celine’s performance in Paris where she absolutely radiated her essence of compassion, joy, and genuine love of performing and giving her gift of music to the world.
A few days before the Opening Ceremonies, I watched Celine’s incredible display of vulnerability in the documentary, I am Celine Dion. It chronicles her life, including the agonizing pain and suffering she has experienced while living with Stiff Persons Syndrome, a disorder that has left her unable to do what she most loves in life – to sing and dance. Her dedication and determination to perform again has been her North Star throughout her time away from performing and the seemingly endless barrage of medical treatments she’s undergone.
Her willingness to share her true feelings of sadness, heartbreak, and debilitating pain on camera was sobering. I may have shed a tear or two.
I don’t know many people, including myself, who would allow cameras into my life while falling apart so dramatically at the thought of never being able to do what I love again.
The imperfect woman I witnessed on that screen with graying hair, no makeup, no glittery outfits and stiletto heels, just a broken human who had the courage to be vulnerable knowing that her critics would cast judgment as she revealed her sadness and despair in the wake of her illness.
She also knew that her vulnerability would help far more people than the number of arrows her critics could launch.
Celine Dion, while not everyone’s cup of tea, serves as a model for so many of us who struggle with the need to be perfect in this imperfect world. She gave herself permission to be exactly who she is without the pretense of what a superstar is supposed to look and act like.
We can all learn from the courage and wisdom of the Indigo girls who continue to stand by their truth and Celine’s openness to be who she is, exposing her beautiful, authentic self.
How are you showing up in the world? If you’re ready to show up as a new and improved version of yourself, schedule a free consultation with me today and together we will explore what’s possible for you.
Love and Light,
Michèle
