Despite the not encouraging news about Celine Dion’s state of health, the one who spent 25 years with the singer is hopeful of seeing her back on stage. “I have a feeling that’s going to be okay. She is made very strong, Céline. It’s going to be an atomic bomb when she comes back, ”believes her chorister and friend Barnev Valsaint.
“I hope one day to see Céline back on stage. His fans love him so much that it would be a shame for it to end like this, ”says singer Barnev Valsaint, who says he is optimistic.
The diva’s backing vocalist experienced Celine Dion’s last concert in the United States in March 2020 when the pandemic hit. “When the tour stopped, we thought we would be back in a few months,” he recalls.
Tears in the eyes
He reunited with Celine in Las Vegas the following year, in the summer of 2021. The team was then rehearsing for the opening show of the new Resorts World Theater casino. A concert that never happened.
“We were supposed to launch the show shortly. In the middle of rehearsals, we had to stop. We were told that Céline was sick and that everything had to be canceled for the moment”, explains the artist nicknamed simply Barnev.
Celine Dion had tears in her eyes. It was the last time he saw her in person. “She puts her whole heart into her work. Since the death of her husband René [Angélil], she makes all the decisions, she takes care of everything, she is involved in everything. I know he misses it a lot right now. We are all passionate about the scene.
On December 8, 2022, Celine informed the public that she had to postpone shows from the spring of 2023-2024 and cancel eight concerts scheduled for the summer of 2023 of her tour. Couragebecause she had stiff person syndrome (RPS).
“The announcement of her rare disease came as a big surprise and shock to everyone, as it was thought that she was a bit ill, like a sore throat. But when she explained to us what it was, our eyes were all watery. We hadn’t seen anything because she kept it with her, she didn’t talk about it too much so that it wouldn’t end up in the media.
Complete cancellation
The shock was less when on May 26, 2023, Celine’s team announced the cancellation of all her concerts scheduled until 2024.
“We know that touring requires a lot, so I suspected that she was not able to do a world tour”, adds the one who will launch his first solo album at the beginning of 2024.
“Céline gives a lot, people don’t recognize how hard it is, what she does. It’s very demanding and she delivers 100%. So as long as she’s not top shape and her doctors won’t tell her she’s ready, she won’t come back. She hates canceling shows. She loves to perform.”
For the moment, Barnev and the other members of Celine Dion’s team know little about the state of health of the star who would be in Las Vegas.
“We hear that she is better. We are sent emails, press releases or phone us to tell us how she is, what is happening. The doctors think it would be better to wait a bit, but she is better. We pray for her.”
Vegas
In his opinion, the eventual return of the diva on stage should be in Las Vegas. “It would be better and easier for her. She could be close to her children, come home every night and see her doctors nearby,” he said.
As for the numerous rumors concerning Céline, her relatives, her fortune and her state of health, Barnev pays no attention to them. “We try to avoid this, we know that these are lies, that it is only to sell magazines. We don’t read these things,” concludes the man who, 25 years ago, was greeted by a Celine Dion wishing him: “Welcome to the family.”
– Don’t miss the full interview with Barnev, who tells us about his upcoming solo album in the Weekend notebook.