The night felt more like a dream than an event — a quiet Montréal evening glowing with fairy lights, soft laughter, and music floating through the air. It wasn’t a concert or a political gala, just a private garden celebration hosted by Katy Perry and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, surrounded by close friends. But before the night was over, it would turn into something no one there would ever forget.
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As the dinner wound down and toasts filled the air, Justin took the microphone with a shy grin. “Katy’s sung to millions,” he said, “but tonight, I wanted someone else to sing for her.” The crowd chuckled, expecting a local artist or maybe a friend with a guitar. Instead, the garden lights dimmed, and from the far end of the terrace came a soft murmur — then gasps.
Walking slowly toward the stage, guitar in hand, was Neil Diamond.
At 84, and after years away from public performance due to Parkinson’s, Neil’s presence alone was enough to bring the crowd to tears. Even Katy froze, her hands over her heart. She’d often called Neil her childhood hero — his music, she once said, “felt like home when nothing else did.”
He reached the microphone, smiled gently, and said, “I hear there’s a woman here who still believes in love songs. So I thought I’d bring one.” Then he began to play the first soft chords of “Sweet Caroline.”
The guests joined in, voices trembling with emotion. Katy’s eyes glistened as she mouthed every word, while Justin wrapped his arms around her shoulders, swaying to the rhythm. Midway through, Neil paused, looking straight at them. “People always say this song is about joy,” he said. “But really, it’s about faith — faith that love still finds you, even when you’ve stopped looking.”
No one moved. The night air felt suspended in time. Then, slowly, Neil resumed — his voice fragile, but full of warmth. The crowd sang the final chorus, echoing the famous line, “Good times never seemed so good…”
When the music faded, Katy stepped forward, took his hand, and kissed it softly. “You just made my dream come true,” she said, her voice shaking. Neil smiled and replied, “That’s what songs are for, darling — to remind us we still can.”
As he left the stage, everyone rose in applause. Later that night, a single photo appeared online — Neil sitting beside his guitar as Katy and Justin danced barefoot under the string lights. The caption read simply:
“Good times never seemed so good.”