00:00If you are a big fan of Céline Dion, you may want to start planning a trip to Paris this
00:04fall.
00:05The Canadian superstar has just announced a series of 10 shows here starting in September.
00:10Her comeback comes after her diagnosis with the incurable and rare stiff person syndrome that
00:16forced her to stop touring six years ago. Monty Francis has the details.
00:23The Eiffel Tower lit up for a special reason Monday night,
00:27hearkening back to Céline Dion's acclaimed performance at the Paris Olympics.
00:32The light show set to her music was accompanied by a video message on the star's Instagram page,
00:37where she used the occasion of her 58th birthday to make a big announcement.
00:42This year, I'm getting the best gift of my life.
00:47I'm getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again in Paris.
00:55A series of 10 shows are planned, beginning in September.
00:59For days, the French capital had been teased by a series of clues a big announcement was coming,
01:04as posters bearing the names of some of Céline Dion's biggest songs popped up across the city.
01:10Fans are ready to get their hands on what is sure to be the hottest ticket in town.
01:15One day, it will be my dream, seriously.
01:18Yeah. It's historic. It's her return. She was ill.
01:22In 2022, Céline revealed she was battling a rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome,
01:29a disease affecting her mobility and vocal cords.
01:32The illness prompted her to cancel a series of live shows.
01:36In her message, she said she was nervous, but looking forward to taking the stage again.
01:41I'm managing my health. I'm feeling good. I'm singing again, even doing a little bit of dancing.
01:49After two runs in Las Vegas, Céline already has the record for the two most lucrative concert residencies of all
01:56time.
01:57Now, it's clear as she prepares to take the French capital by storm this fall, a new day has come.
02:08We're going to talk more about Céline Dion's big comeback now with Dr. Julie Escurignon,
02:12who's a researcher and specialist on the music industry and its fans.
02:15Julie, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us.
02:18There had been such buildup to this announcement here in France.
02:21We saw those bits of songs that were teased around the French capital.
02:25Talk to us a bit more about this kind of marketing side of the campaign
02:27that got so many people buzzing about Céline Dion's comeback here.
02:32Well, it was a very clever campaign.
02:35She dropped hints all over Paris, prompting fans to look for information
02:40and building up to the reveal yesterday night.
02:43And it worked really well.
02:46The fans gathered, they're waiting for it.
02:48And if you've been on the queue to sign up to maybe be drawn to get a ticket,
02:54you would have seen that there were millions of people waiting alongside you.
02:58So I think it's a very successful marketing strategy and it's going to be a hit next fall in Paris.
03:04Right.
03:05And Céline Dion has already done two residencies in Las Vegas 20 years ago in the early 2000s.
03:11Those are considered the most profitable residencies ever.
03:14What do you think we can expect from this residency that's coming up here in Paris in the fall?
03:20I think it's going to be incredible.
03:22It's coming after a few years where we didn't have any Celine Dion concerts.
03:26It's coming after her performance during the Paris Olympics.
03:30And, you know, it's coming only in Paris, which will draw clearly European fans,
03:36but also probably American, Asian fans.
03:39So it's going to be really central.
03:40It's not in the U.S. for once, which is quite rare, you know, for these kind of events.
03:45And it's been a really clever move from Paris La Défense Arena, who's hosting the concerts.
03:52So I think it's going to draw quite a few people.
03:54And it's going to be interesting in terms of revenues for the city of Paris,
03:58for the hoteliers, for the restaurateurs, and, of course, for Paris La Défense Arena.
04:03And I can tell you, I mean, not just Paris.
04:06This whole newsroom was buzzing about the news of her comeback.
04:09I mean, they lit up the Eiffel Tower for her to make this announcement.
04:12It's huge.
04:13Why is this comeback such a big deal?
04:16Is it just because she's been away for so many years?
04:20I think it's because she's an icon.
04:22She's an icon who's been away, who's been through struggles personally and in her family.
04:27People thought she would never come back, probably because she's been so ill
04:32and you never know how it's going to go.
04:35And because she matters so much to so many people.
04:37So if you look at her fandom, there are people who are, you know, more in the 40s, 50s.
04:44But you also have younger people in their 20s.
04:47So you have a whole range of fans, which make her really important for a whole lot of people.
04:53So I think this is why it matters so much for them.
04:57Indeed.
04:57And it matters even more, you might say, here in France.
05:00I mean, obviously, she has a huge following around the world, but she does have a truly special place here
05:03because she's recorded so much in French.
05:06Talk to me a bit more about her French fan base and how that might compare to her international one.
05:13Well, the French one is really attached to her, I think, internationally as well.
05:17But, you know, when she sings in French for, you know, an international star, that matters quite a lot for
05:24French fans.
05:26I did speak yesterday night and this morning to some fans that were telling me that they really love her
05:32French songs.
05:33They really love seeing her performing in France.
05:35And some were telling me that they were ready, you know, to give up their Christmas and birthday gifts for
05:44the next three years just to be able to afford one of these concerts.
05:48This is how much it matters to them to go and see her once.
05:51And it is going to be really interesting because, like you were saying earlier, so many people are going to
05:55be coming in from other countries around the world, from Asia, from the United States, like we saw with Taylor
06:00Swift when she came here.
06:01And yet again, the French feel so protective of Celine Dion because of her French music.
06:06Do you think it's going to be 50-50 French-English songs or how do you think she's going to
06:10walk that fine line with all their different fans?
06:14Hmm. I think we're going to see, but I do think that it's going to be quite a few French
06:21songs, I mean, French-speaking songs and some international songs.
06:24I'd say 50-50 to, you know, get to touch everybody.
06:29I think they will be a mix for sure.
06:33And it will be interesting to see what she chooses to do, but for sure it's going to speak to
06:38her French fans, especially because the concert will be in Paris.
06:42You know, I think it would be different if she was doing those concerts again in Las Vegas or New
06:47York or in Canada.
06:48But because she is in France, she kind of has to do quite a bit of French songs.
06:53Julie, thank you so much for telling us all about Celine Dion, her big comeback that is planned here in
06:59Paris for the fall.
07:00That's Dr. Julie Esquerignon. Thank you so much.
07:03Well, Celine Dion, of course, started her career in the late 80s as a candidate in the Eurovision Song Contest.
07:09And that musical competition is now set to hold its first Asian edition in Bangkok later this year.
07:14Artists from at least 10 countries across Asia, including Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Bangladesh or Bhutan, are going to
07:21compete.
07:22This new chapter comes as the Song Contest marks its 70th anniversary.
07:27This year's main competition is due to be held in Vienna in May, but Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and
07:33Spain are all boycotting due to their discord over Israel's participation.
Comments