Céline Dion is, just like the rest of the world, waiting for things to get back to normal. Her European Courage World Tour will go ahead as planned after the COVID-19 pandemic, and she’s recently shared more news about the future.
The Canadian star announced that a “very personal” documentary is about to be produced, giving fans a “heartfelt” look into her life.
Céline Dion was born on March 30, 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. She was the youngest of 14 children and her parents Adbemar and Therese Dion were both into music. They had actually formed a band, Dion’s Family, and toured Canada when Céline was less than a year old.
Céline Dion – early life
Dion’s parents later opened a piano bar, where she performed at only 5 years of age. Even though music brought the family together, being one of 14 children wasn’t easy.
“No, it really wasn’t. I remember passing down clothes from one sibling to another – I’m the youngest child of 14,” Céline Dion told Woman’s Weekly. “I had to walk to and from school four times a day often in snowstorms that were quite common in my hometown of Charlemagne in Quebec, Canada.
Growing up, Dion also felt very insecure because she had a problem with her teeth. That, naturally, made school quite difficult.
“I remember not feeling my best or looking my best. I felt like a real outsider and didn’t have many friends at school, I just wanted to be at home with my brothers & sisters and my parents because that was my most comfortable zone. We didn’t have much money, but I never considered us to be poor because my parents were great survivors and they instilled that in me too,” she said.
It was clear from the beginning that Céline was a very talented young lady. At the age of 12, her parents sent a demo tape to manager and producer Rene Angelil, who at the time handled the career of popular French singer Ginette Reno.
She sang a song that she had written with her mother and brother, and Rene liked what he heard. He invited her to audition – and that’s where the real success story began.
Producer cried at audition
“She was this homely little kid named Celine Dion. The mother did all the talking, and the girl never said a word,” Rene Angelil recalled. “Then she started singing into a pencil, pretending it was a microphone. And what I heard was enough to make me cry. I heard a special voice like I had never heard before.”
Céline was a shy, skinny 12-year-old with crooked teeth that Rene thought could be a superstar. He decided to dump all of his other clients and even mortgaged his house to put out Dion’s first album. Céline was then brought on tour alongside Angelil in Canada, Japan and Europe.
Climbing to the top in the music business isn’t something that happens over night, at least it wasn’t during an era where you couldn’t stream music and get a hold of a new album by just opening your phone.
Success would eventually come to Dion, but it wasn’t until 1988 that she became internationally recognized. She represented Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest – and became part of one of the most exciting voting races in Eurovision history. Dion won the contest by one point over the United Kingdom. After that, she was a true international star.
Céline went on to become one of the biggest-selling recording artists of all time. With songs like the classic Titanic soundtrack My Heart Will Go On, Because You Loved Me, The Power of Love and Where Does My Heart Beat Now, she established herself as one of the biggest stars of the 1990s and 2000s.
Rise to fame
Not only has Céline given us wonderful songs, but she’s also won many awards, including an Oscar as well as a Grammy Award in 1991 for her version of Beauty and the Beast. Six years later, she won the Academy Award for Best Original Song with My Heart Will Go On.
As of today, the Canadian singer is still a huge star, but at the same time, she’s been through plenty of tragedies in her life. The biggest one happened in 2016, when her beloved husband Rene – credited with first discovering Céline – passed away.
It was back in 1999 that Céline faced the beginning of a years-long crises when she got word that her husband René had throat cancer. At that point, Celine and her husband had been married for 21 years.
They had their first son in 2001 and named him René-Charles Angélil.
René Angélil was much older than Céline at 26 years her senior. She took on the role of becoming his caretaker, and worked hard to look after her husband during this difficult period.
Unfortunately, there was not much the doctors could do – René passed away five years ago. Celine also lost her brother, Daniel Dione, to a similar cancer on the day of her husband’s birthday.
Céline Dion’s family
In October 2010, Dion gave birth to fraternal twins by Caesarean section at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The twins’ names had a special meaning for Celiné. One was named Eddy, after Dion’s favorite French songwriter, Eddy Marnay. The other boy was named Nelson, for former South African President Nelson Mandela.
“My greatest reward is my children. Unless you are a mum you don’t know what you’re missing or what it even is really. It felt for me that with all my children another heart grew inside of me,” she said in 2013.
“I don’t believe in the umbilical chord being cut. For me it’s never cut, once you’re a mum you’re a mum for life – it gives you true meaning to your life and it’s the most important job.
“Who cares if people like me as a singer or not, they can find other singers and there will be other singers. But no other mother can be a better mother for my children than me. My children trust me so much, they need me so much – that is priceless to me.”
Céline Dion is of course most famous for her beautiful voice. But recently, she’s been on the receiving end of some harsh online criticisms by people who had a thing or two about to say about her appearance.
Concerns about her health
In recent years, headlines have often been about her weight, with fans expressing concerns that Céline looks too skinny. On the star’s Instagram, they’ve been particularly vocal as concerns their thoughts. The majority agree on one thing: Céline looks underweight.
For her part, the famous singer has no time for haters.
“It pisses people off that I am thin and I don’t make any effort. I have been thin all my life. Nobody in my family is overweight,” she told The Guardian.
Celine has also faced criticism by those who believe she’s lost even more weight after the deaths of her husband and brother.
“I’m doing this for me. I want to feel strong, beautiful, feminine and sexy,” she told The Sun.
As for criticism of her slimmer figure, Celine said:
“If I like it, I don’t want to talk about it. Don’t bother. Don’t take a picture. If you like it, I’ll be there. If you don’t, leave me alone.”
Those who have followed the star for a long time know that she has always been quite thin, and that she works incredibly hard.
Céline Dion – new Las Vegas show
In 2003, she began a four-year Las Vegas residency show, which became the most successful of all time, grossing more than $385 million.
In 2011, she returned to the Las Vegas stage for a residency at Ceasar’s Palace. According to Billboard, her 1,141 performances set new world records – Dion also holds the records for the two best-selling residencies of all time.
Today, Céline is eager to get back on the road and perform in front of her millions of fans. Her world tour is set to continue when the pandemic comes to an end. Until then, though, her many fans get to share all their love with the Canadian superstar through social media.
”The tour was cancelled, the whole world was shut off. It was definitely different, but for us, we we’re very fortunate,” she told Today about the pandemic.
”It was the old fashioned family fun, simple pleasures of life, playing outside a lot, cooking. Honestly, making the best out of this.”
In November of 2021, Dion will once again take to the Las Vegas stage for a brand-new show at the Resorts World Las Vegas. It will begin with 10 shows at The Theatre, which has the largest and tallest stage in al of “Sin City”.
Shares news about documentary
”Vegas had given us a family and I an. Opportunity for me to be a mom, for them to be kids, for me to perform for my fans and to practice my passion,” she told Today. “And every night, come home.. that is rare. I really feel that Vegas has given me a motherhood and the best as an artist. The best of both worlds.
”[The new Las Vegas shows ] is going to be about energy, about starting again, about living again, about feeling that something will come out of this, hopefully.”
Céline Dion is arguably one of the greatest artists of all time. Soon, her many millions of fans will be able to see a whole new side of their favorite singer.
In a recent press release, Dion announced that there is going to be a documentary about her made. Filmmaker Irene Taylor Brosky, nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary, Short Subject in 2009 for The Final Inch, will be directing it.
“I’ve always been an open book with my fans,” Céline Dion said in a statement.
“And with [Taylor’s] sensitivity and thoughtful creativity, I think that Irene will be able to show everyone a part of me that they haven’t seen before… I know she’ll tell my story in the most honest and heartfelt way.”
“Portrait of an icon”
“Going on this journey with a legendary artist such as Celine Dion is an extraordinary opportunity for me as a filmmaker,” Taylor added. “Having access to examine her life and inimitable career, will allow me to create a multifaceted portrait of an iconic, global superstar, which I look forward to sharing with the world.”
Tom Mackay, president of premium content at Sony Music Entertainment, said that they are very excited to share Céline Dion’s achievements with the fans all around the world.
“Celine Dion is one of the most sought-after recording artists of all time. We are honored to collaborate with her to produce this much-anticipated documentary,” he said.
We are so excited about this new documentary, and that Céline Dion will soon be back in Las Vegas with her new show. She is a true legend!
Please, share this story to honor Céline Dion!
