Celine Dion reveals how stiff person syndrome changed her singing voice

A year and a half after she made public her diagnosis of “stiff person syndrome,” Céline Dion is now speaking about the effects of her neurological illness on her world-famous singing voice.

In a teaser clip for an upcoming NBC interview on Friday, Dion told “Today” host Hoda Kotb that it felt “like someone was strangling you” when she recently tried to sing.

“It’s like someone is pushing your larynx or throat in this direction,” the five-time Grammy winner explained, her hand pushing inward on her throat. After shifting to a restrained, high-pitched tone, she added, “It’s like you’re speaking like this and you can’t go any higher or lower.”

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is defined by the National Institutes of Health as a “rare, progressive neurological disorder” that can cause muscle spasms. The condition can be so severe that some patients eventually become unable to walk or move independently. Although symptoms can be controlled with treatment, there is no cure.

Watch the teaser for Dion’s NBC interview below.

In her chat with Kotb, Dion admitted that she “broke ribs at some point” as a result of a muscle cramp.

“Sometimes, if it’s very bad, some ribs can be broken,” she said.

Dion first announced her SPS diagnosis in December 2022, noting at the time that the condition had significantly impacted her daily life and performance.

The French-Canadian singer was absent from the spotlight and social media for most of 2023. However, she made a triumphant return to the public eye in February when she appeared at the 2024 Grammy Awards to present Taylor Swift with the award for Album of the Year.

In an interview with Vogue France published online in April, Dion seemed determined to resume her music career, but did not specify a time frame in which this might be possible.

“The way I see it, I have two options,” she said. “Either I train like an athlete and try really hard, or I switch off and it’s over. I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of the mirror and sing to myself. I’ve decided to work with my whole body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be.”

Dion’s full interview with Kotb is scheduled to air Tuesday, and she is also expected to share details about her health journey in the upcoming documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” which will be released on Amazon Prime Video on June 25.

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