Celine Dion steps into the limelight with JLo for dazzling fashion show performance

The pair performed on the runway for the Elie Saab show in Saudi Arabia

HELLO / Faye James  / Senior Editor

Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez brought the house down at an Elie Saab fashion event in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night, donning their dazzling outfits as models took to the runway.

Celine sported a showstopping pink floor-length gown featuring a cape and hundreds of sequins to make her shine bright.

The French-Canadian superstar pulled her blonde locks back into a chic bun and added sparkling silver diamonds to accessorize the look.

Celine sang two of her greatest hits, “The Power of Love” and “I’m Alive”, in Riyadh, just after the models took to the stage in their pink outfits.

Hustlers  opened the show, donning a shimmering gold leotard with tassels hanging off it and a low-cut neckline.  

She made quite the entrance on a floating stage with an arch covered in feathers, and wore her long hair down in soft waves, with dramatic makeup to complete the look.

© Reuters /  The singer looked breathtaking in a gold gown

She performed a rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”, as well as her smash hits “Waiting for Tonight”, “On the Floor” and “Let’s Get Loud”.

“Being here for the first time is kind of a dream come true,” Celine said on the red carpet ahead of the fashion show. “And Monsieur Elie Saab and his entourage and his beautiful family has welcomed us here – my manager, my son and all the people that I needed to support me to be here.

© Reuters / Celine Dion and Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab posed together

“His generosity, his talent, he has been singing with me because I’ve been wearing his dresses, his talent for many, many years. Wearing his extraordinary talent is one thing, meeting him and being with him and having a chance to have a bit of chat with him was very touching for me,” she added.

“So being here is just wonderful. So we’re very, very privileged and very honoured to be here.”

While J-Lo is no stranger to the stage, this performance marks only the third time that Celine has performed live since announcing that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, forcing her to cancel her Courage tour in 2023.

The rare neurological condition causes muscle spasms, stiffness, and difficulty walking or moving.

© Reuters / Jennifer Lopez also performed during the ‘The 1001 Season of ELIE SAAB’ fashion show

She made a triumphant return to the stage for the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and surprised fans at the City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Gala in LA in October. After her performance at the gala, she received a standing ovation.

The mother of three had been battling the insidious disease for years without recognizing its impact on her life, she revealed in her documentary, I Am: Celine Dion.

“It was just feeling a little strange, like a little spasm,” the singer said. “My voice was struggling; I was starting to push a little bit.”

Soon, the syndrome began shutting down her body and restricting her singing voice.

“My vocal cords used to lead my way, and now I can’t even just talk with them. I barely could walk, and I was missing very much living,” she explained. “My kids started to notice. I was like, OK, they already lost a parent. I don’t want them to be scared.”

Since receiving her diagnosis, she explained in the documentary how it had brought her comfort to share her struggles with the world.

© Reuters / Celine Dion performed during the “The 1001 Season of Elie Saab” fashion show in Saudi Arabia

“If I would have just stayed secretly behind, my home would have become a prison, and I would have become a prisoner of my own life,” she said.

“Today, I live one day at a time. The fact that I found the strength to communicate my condition with the world makes me very proud. Maybe my purpose in this life is to help others, and that is the greatest gift.”

Celine’s last live tour performance was in New Jersey in March 2020 before she was forced to cancel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.