Celine Dion is in tears as she talks about the effects of stiff person syndrome on her singing voice

Céline Dion is moved to tears in her upcoming documentary as she documents how stiff person syndrome affects her singing voice.

In December 2022, the now 56-year-old Power of Love singer announced that she had been diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder and canceled the European leg of her world tour.

Stiff person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that causes progressive muscle stiffness that can cause spasms so severe that it can result in broken ribs and a throat-like sensation, Dion previously said.

In her documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” the Canadian star reveals that she first experienced symptoms of the disease 17 years ago while eating breakfast.

Dion said she was “terrified” at the time when she noticed her voice had changed, which turned out to be one of her first vocal cramps.

“I woke up one morning and had breakfast, and after breakfast my voice got better,” she said in the film directed by Oscar nominee Irene Taylor.

“That freaked me out a little bit because normally as a singer your voice goes about half a key or a note lower when you’re tired from playing a show the night before.”

She continued: “I was scared, I didn’t know what to do. And today I received the diagnosis. SPS stands for stiff person syndrome.

“It’s in the muscle, it’s in the tendons, it’s in the nerves. You can’t see anything because it’s not visible.”

Dion was close to tears during several scenes in the film as she talked about no longer being able to sing and perform.

“I can’t use my voice yet,” she said through tears. “Music… I miss it a lot. But also people. I miss them.”

She later explained how stiff person syndrome prevents her from singing: “When I try to breathe, my lungs are fine. It’s what’s in front of my lungs that’s so rigid. That’s because of stiff person syndrome.”

When she tried to sing, her voice broke noticeably, causing her to pause and become emotional again.

“That’s the way it is and it’s very hard for me to show you this,” she said through tears. “I think I was very good… I think I did some things that were incredible.”

I am: Celine Dion, premiere on Prime Video on 25 June