Karaoke for thousands of people took place on Friday afternoon and evening at the Stalingrad Battle Square in eastern Paris in two rounds, with approximately 5,000 people taking part in each. The meeting was organized by the Paris authorities; the number of participants was estimated based on online registration.
Fans sang together in unison and also participated in vocal "duels" in which they could win tickets to one of the star's concerts. Karaoke started with Dion's French hit "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" from her 1995 album "D'eux". To date, this album is in first place among French-language albums in terms of the number of copies sold (about 10 million). The singing ended with the hit from the movie "Titanic" - "My Heart Will Go On". The event was organized on the eve of the first of Dion's 16 concerts at the Plenitude Arena (Defense Arena) in Nanterre near Paris.
Today, this event is the topic of the entire metropolis. Fans were ready to pay a fortune to see their favorite singer.
Celine Dion is a true legend, an icon, said Chloe Rydquist, who came to Paris from London with her wife Katy, in an interview with France24. The woman noted that when the couple learned about her return, they decided that they had to see the star during the first concert.
The women paid around £1,500 for the tickets, but said the opportunity to see Dion on stage again was worth the price.
It will be very touching both for her and for all of us. We didn't know if she would ever come back, so if you could see her, do it," Katy Rydquist said.
Fans from all over the world in Paris
Tickets for all concerts sold out very quickly. Today, the singer will be admired by approximately 30,000 people.
Already in April, AFP, citing estimates from the Choose Paris Region agency, reported that the singer's series of autumn concerts could bring between EUR 300 and EUR 500 million to the region's economy. According to estimates by the MKG Consulting agency, the potential economic impact may exceed even one billion euros. For comparison, when Swift performed four concerts in Paris in 2024, the city saw an economic increase of 150-180 million euros.
As Alexandra Dublanche, president of Choose Paris Region, notes in an interview with the Agency, it is estimated that half a million fans will come to the concerts, one third of which will come from abroad. As AFP reported, after the concerts were announced, the Adagio hotel chain in the La Défense district recorded a sudden 400 percent jump in the number of reservations. The "Celine Dion effect" is also visible on Booking.com, which saw a 49 percent increase in searches for accommodation in Paris around performance dates.
Mysterious posters announced concerts
The Canadian artist announced her return to the stage after a nearly six-year break on March 30, her 58th birthday.
"This year I will get the greatest gift of my life: I will have the chance to come and see you and sing for you again," Dion said in a video posted on Instagram.
Rumors about her return to the stage began to appear at the end of March, when mysterious posters with the titles of her greatest hits, such as "The Power of Love" or "Pour que tu m'aimes encore", appeared on the streets of Paris. Before the singer confirmed her fans' suspicions, she subtly suggested a return to Paris on her social media. In 2024, she performed at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, performing one of Edith Piaf's most famous songs - "Hymn to Love". On Friday evening in Paris, the 2024 Olympic torch in the form of a balloon that floats into the sky in the evening featured a quote from the song signed "Celine", which was also a gesture of welcome to Dion before Saturday's performance.
