Celine Dion Cancels North American Tour Dates Citing 'Severe And Persistent Muscle Spasms'

Jan 21, 2022 by apost team

On Jan. 15, Celine Dion, 53, announced that she would be canceling the remaining 16 shows of “Courage,” the first world tour in over a decade. Dion and her team made the announcement via press release on her website and social media, citing “severe and persistent muscle spasms.”

“I was really hoping that I’d be good to go by now, but I suppose I just have to be more patient and follow the regimen that my doctors are prescribing,” Dion said in the news release.

The cancelations will affect the March 9 - April 22, 2022, North American leg of the world tour, including concerts scheduled in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Dion and her team reassured fans that their ticket purchases would be refunded “automatically to the credit card used for purchase.” The tour’s European leg, which begins on May 25 in England, should be unaffected by the Jan. 15 cancellations. 

The world tour, which began in Quebec City in 2019, has faced a variety of setbacks. Shows in Montreal were postponed due to the singer’s health, and the North American dates had initially been rescheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s a lot of organizing and preparation that goes into our shows, and so we have to make decisions today which will affect the plans two months down the road,” Dion said in her Jan. 15 press release.

“I’ll be so glad to get back to full health, as well as all of us getting past this pandemic, and I can’t wait to be back on stage again. Meanwhile, I’ve been very touched by all the words of encouragement that everyone’s been sending to me on social media. I feel your love and support and it means the world to me.”

This isn’t the first time that Dion’s health issues have interfered with her professional life.

Dion also delayed her Las Vegas residency in 2021 due to “unforeseen medical symptoms” and “severe and persistent muscle spasms.”

“I’m heartbroken by this. My team and I have been working on our new show for the past eight months, and to not be able to open this November saddens me beyond words,” Dion wrote in October 2021.

“Now, I have to focus on getting better… I want to get through this as soon as I can,” the 53-year-old singer added.

In a 2021 interview with the French magazine Paris Match, Dion's sister Claudette revealed that her sister worked very hard for this comeback, so the Las Vegas delay was under no circumstances a “whim.” Claudette also said that Dion stressed herself too much: "It’s always the same: She is terribly demanding about herself. Her body said 'stop.'"

Moreover, Claudette also told the magazine that Dion's age played a part in the illness.

"The pre-menopause, the hormonal changes it brings are not helpful … I know that she is very disciplined and careful. But the body has its moods too. It’s good that she listens to it.”

In 2019, fans were concerned about the singer’s health after she lost weight, though Dion has dismissed such comments.

“People say, ‘She’s a lot thinner’ but I’m working hard. I like to move and (weight loss) comes with it,” Dion told People in 2019.

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Fans on Twitter and Instagram were supportive of the singer’s most recent cancellation and health announcement.

“We're praying for your fast recovery. We want to see you killing it on stage as you always does. Take care!! Love you Queen ❤❤,” a fan on Twitter wrote. 

“We love you and support you. The most important thing is your health. Get well soon. I wish only the best for you and you are in my prayers,” a fan added.

However, some were frustrated by the cancellations. 

“DISAPPOINTING!” Brandon Elliot Smith tweeted, adding that he’s been waiting to see Dion for over two years.

Beyond issues with her health, Dion has had to deal with the death of her husband, René Angélil, since his passing in 2016. 

"Losing my husband, for my kids to lose their father, it was quite something," Dion told Today in May 2021. "I feel like René has given me so much through the years and still today. I see my kids. I look at them — we live with him. We still live with him. He's part of our lives every day, so I have to say that I feel very, very strong."

On Angélil’s death anniversary this year, Dion posted a tribute to her late spouse on social media, writing that she misses him in French.

“I would be lying if I said I’m fine, I think of you at least a hundred times, cause in the echo of my voice I hear your words just like you’re there,” Dion’s post read.

We wish Celine Dion a speedy recovery. What do you think of Dion’s announcement? Let us know, and be sure to pass this news on to others.