celine dion the authorized biography

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Céline : the authorized biography of Céline Dion

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Céline: The Authorized Biography

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The author, Georges-Hebért Germain, travelled with Céline and her entourage for over a year. Germain is the author of a number of popular biographies, children's books, and books on Quebec history, including a biography of the renowned hockey player, Guy Lafleur. The book was translated into English by David Homel, who is an author and award-winning translator.

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• Foreword; Chapter One: A Family Affair; Chapter Two: The Pleasures of Love; Chapter Three: The Dion Tribe; Chapter Four: The Angélil Clan; Chapter Five: The Man Who Loved Gambling; Chapter Six: Loser Takes All; Chapter Seven: A Lesson Well Learned; Chapter Eight: The First Skirmishes; Chapter Nine: It Was Only a Dream; Chapter Ten: The Voice of Heaven; Chapter Eleven: Bound for Glory; Chapter Twelve: Great Beginnings; Chapter Thirteen: In the Land of the Rising Sun; Chapter Fourteen: On a French Roller Coaster; Chapter Fifteen: The Dove Takes Flight; Chapter Sixteen: The First Fan.

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How Valérie Lemercier channeled Celine Dion from age 5 to 50 in unauthorized biopic ‘Aline’

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Valérie Lemercier wasn’t all that serious when she pledged during an interview to make her next film about Celine Dion . But the more the French comedian and filmmaker kept thinking about it, the more the pop diva’s life spoke to her.

“I always loved love stories,” she says over videoconference from an all-pink room in her country home in Normandy.

Borrowing liberally from Dion’s life, career and marriage to her decades-older manager, René Angélil , with just enough creative detours to claim artistic license, Lemercier directs herself in the musical drama “Aline” as Aline Dieu, who goes from the youngest of 14 in a close-knit French Canadian clan to world-famous chanteuse on the Last Vegas strip. Lemercier’s Dieu commands the screen with numbers pulled from the real-life Dion’s songbook, including “Let’s Talk About Love,” “All By Myself” and, yes, “ My Heart Will Go On .”

“Celine couldn’t do a show without singing that song , which is a small jail,” says Lemercier, who mounted an exhaustive search to find a Dion vocal double in singer Victoria Sio, and lends a humorous spin to the “ Titanic ” moment in Aline’s fictional rise to stardom. “People want that one.”

The film grabbed headlines out of Cannes last year thanks to Lemercier’s many auteurist conceits, not the least of which is that the 58-year-old writer, director and star portrays Aline from ages 5 to 50. Using George Méliès-inspired camera tricks and face-shrinking VFX, she plays the future superstar as an awkward young girl and gawky teenager with a booming voice that can’t be denied. Later, as a young adult, Aline falls for her manager and future husband, Guy-Claude Kamar (Sylvain Marcel).

The performance earned Lemercier her third César Award, this one for lead actress and nominations for best film, director and original screenplay (with Brigitte Buc), in addition to “Aline” nominations for supporting actor (Marcel), supporting actress (Danielle Fichaud) and sound. Ahead of the film’s stateside opening on April 8, Lemercier dove into a conversation about the making of “Aline,” the power of Celine, who in recent years has canceled performance dates due to health issues, and the one hit song from Dion’s discography she wasn’t able to clear.

The rebirth of Celine Dion: ‘Life is short. Can we just have a good time?’

Three years after the death of her husband-manager, and rebranded as an avant-garde style icon, the balladeer has returned with a new album and world tour.

Oct. 2, 2019

It’s easy for people to be cynical about Celine Dion because she sings power ballads about love and has a big, earnest personality. What did you want to convey about her in film?

I wanted to make an homage. I wanted to say that I love Celine. I want to say that I admire Celine and René, of course, and her Québécois family. I have a lot of similitude with the younger Celine. I was from a big family with a lot of kids. I have cousins on a farm in Normandy, and we were supposed to play music, all of us. I’m often asked why I wanted to play it young. I didn’t want to play it only as a glamorous star. I wanted also to play the growing pains of adolescence.

What has your relationship with Celine Dion been over the years?

It was in ’95 with maybe the best French album, which is “D’eux” — a girl in the theater where I was performing loved Celine, and she said that we looked alike, that we have the same face. She was singing the same song and changing the name and saying “Valérie” instead. I begin my story of Celine with another person singing Celine. And of course, I heard a lot of the songs, but I didn’t know her career, her life and everything very well. Then six years ago, after René passed away , I said like a joke, “for my next movie I will make a movie about Celine.” My production designer heard that and said to me, “I want to be a part of it.” Then I wanted to make it.

This story is closely modeled on Dion’s life, down to her marriage to her older manager and her songs. How do you view the differences between Celine Dion and Aline Dieu?

Aline is between Celine and me. Could be “Valine”... maybe Aline is more French if you speak very well with a Quebecois accent — you can say that mine is not very good. I decided to [focus on] the love story because for me, it’s the most important thing in life. When I see old movies that I’ve made, I remember where I had been, was I in love, who was my lover at that moment — it’s the only thing you remember at the end. For me, it’s the most important thing.

The age difference between Celine and René was controversial, even to her mother. How did you decide to handle that in “Aline?”

If I cast a little girl, a 12-year-old girl, I think it would be more of a problem for the movie. In France, kid [actors] are very protected. But remember, we [Lemercier and co-star Marcel] are each 55. I mean yes, the first relation began when she was 20. And at 20 you are able to choose. She was in love first. And I think you can see that in the movie that René at first doesn’t want anything to do with a love story.

You co-wrote the script with your collaborator Brigitte Buc, with care to replicate Celine’s life, music, outfits and performances in painstaking detail. How did you begin?

I began to write it alone, 80 pages, without Brigitte. At first, it said “Celine” and “René.” She said “change the name. Everything will be easier.” She didn’t know Celine as well as me, because I spent a lot of time watching videos and reading books. Night and day, I spent maybe one year [researching] the story and also Quebec’s story and old Quebecois songs. Of course, it’s a movie about Celine, but it’s also about Quebecois family and songs because in Quebec, music is a real culture.

Was it difficult to find financiers for a film like this?

It was. Because people thought that it would be possible only with Celine’s voice. We also had to reduce the [budget] because the movie was longer. We had thought at first to make one French version and one English, with more English songs. In the end, it’s the same movie everywhere. But it was difficult for me to get the French producer to accept unknown actors from Quebec. For example, Aline’s mother (Danielle Fichaud) is wonderful. She is known for being an acting teacher, but she’s not famous. And the TV channels who put money in the movie wanted I [to] do it all with French actors doing a Quebecois accent. It was not so simple at first, no.

You portray Aline at age 5, 12 and into adulthood using camera tricks and VFX. Did that seem like a risky choice to anyone else?

My DP [Laurent Dailland] said to me, “You can do that in theater — onstage maybe, but not in the movie — it would not be possible.” But that DP made a movie called “Didier” by Alain Chabat that has a French actor playing a dog! I said, “You made ‘Didier!’ That guy can be a dog, I can be a little girl.” I’m known to perform solo on stage playing different characters, women, men, children. I’m always happy to play little girls, and maybe when I am 80, I will continue to do it. You know, my producer asked me to pull out a sequence where I began the movie at 6 months old.

Did you pull it before you filmed it?

I filmed it. My producer got down on their knees and said to me, “Please [cut] that.”

I would love to see that.

Yeah, me too! I’d like to show that one time because it’s really very funny.

How much did you learn of Celine’s history, daily life and mannerisms from the biographies by journalist Georges-Hebert Germain?

[Germain] made a book about Celine, but also a bigger one about René and he wrote about her mother — [my] three main characters. And those three books are really, really, very important. I learned a lot of things, for example, how René was mad about Col. Parker, Elvis’s manager. When he was 25, Elvis passed away, and he said that he was a journalist and went to the funeral. I think that the funeral of René looks like the Elvis one. That’s why when I put some music [to René’s funeral scene], I tried every Mozart requiem. When I found Elvis’s “Love Me Tender,” it was perfect.

The authorized biography almost defends Celine from those fans who worry for her well-being as a celebrity, even suggesting that she enjoys the stress. As a performer yourself, did you feel that perhaps this couldn’t be true, that the pressure might have an effect on anybody?

Of course. I’m sure of that. And I’m sure that if she’s a clown, then she has something to hide. She has, of course, a dark part and she doesn’t want to show it. And that’s what I love in the way she always says that she’s lucky. Maybe that’s what happened these two years. Maybe that’s why she’s not able now to make shows.

That’s so much of what the story of Aline is, isn’t it? Our introduction to her is her weeping on a pristine white bed, headphones on, with her children by her side. Where did that image come from?

After René’s death, I saw a video. She was on the bed — a white bed, with the Kleenex, and I know that she was sleeping with the twins. For me, it was the truth of Celine at that time. The movie speaks about [the death] of René and I see the new life alone. It’s the first image I wanted to begin with and the last one. I wanted at the end that she wears a white dress on a black stage and sings alone with the camera. And I wanted the first image to be her with the big Gucci eyeglasses and music on her head and the twins, crying on the bed.

And of course, the opening and closing scenes are connected by the same song, “ Ordinaire ,” by Canadian musician Robert Charlebois. Did you always know that you wanted to use this song in these two places?

Always. In the beginning, because the movie was too expensive, they said, “Oh, don’t begin with that sequence.” And the script [supervisor] saw the new script without that sequence and said to me, “What a shame. It was my favorite. Why did you cut that?” I thank her every day for saying that to me, because I love that sequence and it was really important to begin the movie with that.

There’s an incredible video of Celine weeping as Charlebois sings “Ordinaire” to her.

Of course, because that song speaks so much of her life! It’s one of my favorite videos of Celine , because of Charlebois, because of that song. I was so happy when Charlebois said that [“Aline”] is the best love story he had ever seen. He said something which touched me. He said to me, “After René and then Mrs. Dion — Madame Mama Dion — I think you’re the one who loves Celine the best.” They wanted for the U.S. version that I use “ Nature Boy ,” which is a nice song, but is in a lot of movies and sung by a lot of singers and “Ordinaire,” I know it’s in French, but I think that song is really universal.

The songs you selected from Celine’s repertoire speak to what Aline is feeling at each moment in her life, throughout the film.

Every song is a step of the love story. First for the mother, of course, and then for [Guy-Claude] — is it love, is it amity? I wanted all the songs to speak about the love story and how she is in love. Hearing a lot of songs made me discover a lot of the beautiful songs from Quebec or from the U.S.A. that I didn’t know. I wanted one that I couldn’t have, which is called “ Power of Love .” “’ Cause I’m your lady ...”.

“ And you are my man.. .” A great song.

But the woman who wrote that song ... she didn’t want it, so it’s the only song I couldn’t have.

Celine Dion’s new, easygoing ‘Life’

Dec. 18, 2013

The way you use “ My Heart Will Go On ” is funny. A lot of people don’t realize how she felt about her biggest hit.

She didn’t like this song, and James Cameron said, “I don’t want a song in the movie!” What you hear in [“Titanic”] is the demo. Sometimes she laughs about it. For me, when she sang that song perfectly it was at the Oscars in ’98 with that navy blue dress. She was so strong, so beautiful. It’s really the golden age of Celine’s voice.

Some of her family members have openly criticized the film for taking license with her life story. Does it matter to you what they think?

Of course. It was very sad for me because [of] what they said, it’s the contrary of all I’ve done. But the family is big. I have some other messages from other people of the family who were very happy with the movie.

Do you wish that you had met Celine before making “Aline?”

I knew that if [we] met, it would only be for two minutes. I had a pass to go to her show and I didn’t use it because I was sure we would not be alone. We would have three seconds to take a picture with Celine and I didn’t want that. I wanted to meet, but not in that circumstance. Of course, I know that Celine doesn’t want to see anything about her. She reads nothing. It’s the same for my movie. Her Quebecois manager said she doesn’t care, and the French one said she would cry. If it was me, I don’t know if I would jump to see the movie. But I hope that that one day she will be able to to see it and to see how much I love her.

More to Read

Gérard Depardieu faces another sexual assault complaint amid call on French cinema to ‘face the truth’

Feb. 27, 2024

With the success of her first film, ‘Past Lives,’ Celine Song has found her future

Feb. 5, 2024

Celine Dion’s sister shares new details on the superstar’s health

Dec. 18, 2023

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Celine: The Authorized Biography of Celine Dion by Georges-Hebert Germain (1998-10-09) Paperback

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Céline Dion

Article by Christian Rioux , Betty Nygaard King

Published Online October 30, 2008

Last Edited March 4, 2015

Very quickly, her extraordinary voice and her simplicity conquered the province of Quebec, and her career experienced a meteoric rise. In 1982, she took part in the Tokyo Song Festival with 'Tellement j'ai d'amour pour toi,' and won the musicians' prize as well as a gold medal. The following year, she represented Canada at the MIDEM (International Music Market) in Cannes, and she sang on the program Champs-Élysées . In May, she performed with the Orchestre métropolitain at Place des Arts , before embarking on a recital tour throughout Quebec, in addition to receiving a gold record in France for her recording of 'D'amour ou d'amitié' (over 500,000 copies sold). Dion dropped out of school at age 15 to concentrate on her career. She was the star of a TV special on CBC's Les Beaux Dimanches . Also in 1983, she won several Félix awards , including those as best female performer and discovery of the year. On 28 and 29 July 1984, she sang before a public of 40,000 at the Old Port in Quebec City. Shortly thereafter, she was selected by the Quebec clergy to represent young people during the Pope's visit and sing 'Une colombe' before 65,000 youngsters in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. After she opened for Patrick Sébastien at the Olympia in Paris, she toured 15 Quebec towns.

At 18, weary of her good-girl image, Céline Dion disappeared for a year and a half, and reappeared sporting short hair and tight sequinned dresses. Dion began to sing music with very upbeat rhythms for young audiences, winning in 1987 the Eurovision prize for 'Ne partez pas sans moi,' and selling 200 000 copies of that single in Europe in two days. Incognito , an LP recorded that year, sold over 200,000 copies in Quebec. With CBS ( Sony ) investing in her international career, Céline Dion cut (1990) her first record in English, Unison , produced by David Foster in Los Angeles, Chris Neal in London and Andy Goldmark in New York; it sold over 100,000 copies in Canada ('Where Does My Heart Beat' ranked fourth on the Billboard magazine hit parade) and was released in 16 other countries including the US. She appeared several times on the American program The Tonight Show and rapidly became a darling of the US talk show circuit. Recipient of Juno awards as best female performer and for recording of the year in 1991, she had already won 15 Félix awards by then. She generated mild controversy in 1990 when, asserting her French-Canadian status, she refused a Félix award for best Anglophone artist.

Breakthrough into the English-Language Market 1992

The year 1992 has been recognized as a turning point in Dion's career. Her second English-language album, Celine , sold almost 2,000,000 worldwide and became her first US platinum recording. A single from the album, "If You Asked Me To," reached number one on the Billboard charts. Having become more proficient in English, Dion was able to make a concert tour of Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. She sang at the Academy Awards (a duet of "Beauty and the Beast," which won for best original song). The recording also won the 1992 Grammy for best pop performance by a duo, cementing Dion's entrance into the US market.

Dion toured the US, now as headliner, in 1993. In this tour, the trademark methodical control of her image began to be obvious; she designed and directed every element. She performed at such high-profile functions as a command performance for Prince Charles, and the swearing-in of US President Bill Clinton.

By then comfortable conversing in English, Céline Dion hosted the Juno awards broadcast in 1993. She achieved the rare feat of winning Juno awards in both French-language and English-language categories. The same year, she embarked on her first full Canadian tour. Typically over the next several years, her concert tours consisted of sold-out arena or concert hall appearances for several nights at major urban centres. Concerts featured pop material sung in both English and French. Frequent comparisons were made to US "pop divas" Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston. Dion's repertoire focussed on powerful heart-tugging ballads and dance tunes, selected from songs submitted to her by professional songwriters.

In 1994, Céline Dion and René Angélil were married; Angélil continued to manage her career. Dion's Colour of My Love album (1993) sold 7 million copies by 1995. "The Power of Love," a single produced by David Foster, reached number one in both Canada and the US, and number four in the United Kingdom. The singer continued to have chart hits in both languages, often in several countries (including France) simultaneously. Her album D'Eux (1995) became the best-selling French album in history; Céline Dion à l'Olympia (1994) made her the world's biggest-selling French-language singer. In the UK, she topped both album and singles charts.

Dion embarked on a period of further intense activity, including world tours (1996-7, 1999) and North American tours (1998). She sang "Power of the Dream" at the opening ceremonies of the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics. The 1996 album Falling Into You won Grammy awards for album of the year and best pop album. In 1998 she again appeared on the Academy Awards, singing "My Heart Will Go On," from the film Titanic . This single once more secured for Dion the adulation of teen as well as adult markets.

Into the 2000s

Dion took an extended break from performing beginning January 2000. In 2001, she gave birth to a son. From 2003-8 she had a $100-million contract at Las Vegas' Caesar's Palace, where she appeared to sell-out crowds. Her first post-break recording was the album A New Day Has Come (2002), a vehicle for additional pop ballads. One Heart followed in 2003. Her recordings and interviews began to focus on the theme of motherhood.

Dion's singing career has taken her to the heights of popularity, and in Quebec she has been viewed as a representative on the world stage. She had won 33 Félix awards and 20 Junos, sold 175 million albums worldwide by 2004, and earned $55 million US in a single year. Her voice purportedly could cover five octaves. Nevertheless, she was often criticized for "stylistic excess" and "pointless pop vocal frills" ( Globe and Mail , 29 March 1994), and the "Svengali-like" management of Angélil. The Toronto Star reported on 18 Sept 1999 that her "over-the-top emoting, the saccharine sentiment of her lyrics and overblown arrangements have never endeared her to music critics."

In addition to five Grammy awards, Dion is the recipient of a Diamond World Music Award; the Order of Quebec (1998); Companion of the Order of Canada (2008); France's Legion of Honour (2008); and the Society of Singers' Ella Award (2003). She was the Recording Industry Association of America's top-selling artist of 1998; and in 1999 gained a place on Canada's Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Broadcast Hall of Fame.

Céline Dion: My Story, My Dreams (Toronto 2000)

Selected Discography

La Voix du Bon Dieu . 1981. Saisons SPE-4101 and Saisons SNS-70000

Tellement j'ai d'amour... . 1982. Saisons SNS-80007

Les Chemins de ma maison . 1983. Saisons SNS-90001

Chants et contes de Noël . 1983. Saisons SNS-90002

Mélanie . 1984. TBS 501

C'est pour toi . 1985. TBS 503

En concert . 1985. TBS 504

Les Chansons en or . (1986). TBS 507

Incognito . 1987. CBS PFC-80119

Unison . 1990. Col BC-80150

Dion chante Plamondon . 1991. Sony CK-80168

The Colour of My Love . 1993. 550 Music BK 57555/CK 57555 Columbia

L'Olympia Live . 1994. MSI Music 478161/CK 80212 Columbia

Falling Into You . 1996. 67541 Legacy

Let's Talk About Love . 1997. 550 Music 68861/CK 68861 Columbia

These are Special Times . 1998. 550 Music 1557527/CK 69523 Columbia

D'eux . 1998. 80219 Sony/CK 80219 Columbia

Live in Paris . 1998. Sony 80238/486606 2 Epic

S'il Suffisait D'Aimer . 1998. 724246 Epic/CK 80339 Sony

All the Way - A Decade of Song . 1999. 63760 Epic

Collector's Series Vol 1. 2000. 550 Music 85148

New Day Has Come . 2002. 86400 Epic/CK 86400 Columbia

I Fille and 4 Types . 2003. 90755 Epic/CK 80984 Columbia

One Heart . 2003. Sony 257/CK 87185 Columbia

A New Day - Live in Las Vegas . 2004. Epic 92680/CK 92680 Columbia

Au Coeur du Stade . 2004. CK 80438 Columbia

Miracle . 2004. 93453 Epic

On ne Change Pas . 2005. 77720 Epic/82876726242 Columbia

Best of the Early Years . 2007. Metro Music 609

Taking Chances . 2007. 708114 Columbia/88697 19305 2 Columbia

Taking Chances . (Special edition). 2007. 713714 Columbia

D'Elles . 2007. PID 704796/88697047 962 Columbia

Celine . (Box set). 2008. Legacy 718516

Celine X2: Let's Talk About Love . 2008. Legacy 213838

Further Reading

Demers, Dominique. 'Big,' L'Actualité , Aug 1989

Germain, Georges-Hébert. 'Ma sorcière bien aimée,' Châtelaine , Feb 1991

Kelly, Brendan. "That's Ms. Dion to you," Chatelaine , Sept 1996

Grills, Barry. Céline Dion: Falling into You (Kingston 1997)

Dolbec, Michel. "Céline et les Français," Châtelaine , 1 Jan 1997

"Céline : Vogue vers l'inaccessible étoile," Cahier spécial, Le Soleil , Québec, 1 March 1997

Beaunoyer, Jean. Céline Dion: Une femme au destin exceptional (Montreal 1997)

Halperin, Ian. Céline Dion, Beyond the Fairytale (Boca Raton, Florida 1997)

Germain, Georges-Hébert. Céline: The Authorized Biography of Céline Dion (Toronto 1998)

Demers, Frédéric. Céline Dion et l'identité québecoise (Montréal 1999)

Beaunoyer, Jean, and Beaulne, Jean. Et Angélil Créa Céline: Biographie (Montreal 2002)

Weber, Bruce. "Celine Dion, a new kind of Las Vegas showgirl," New York Times , 27 March 2003

Beaunoyer, Jean and Jean Beaulne; trans Wilson, Don. René Angélil: The Making of Céline Dion: The Unauthorized Biography (Toronto 2004)

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Céline Dion

Canadian singer Céline Dion dominated the pop charts in the 1990s with No. 1 hits like “The Power of Love” and “Because You Loved Me.”

1968-present

Céline Dion News: Video Shows Pop Star Singing at Grammys

According to People , Elise wasn’t the only one thrilled to see Dion. Oprah Winfrey , Stevie Wonder , and Best New Artist winner Victoria Monét all spent some time with the “My Heart Will Go On” singer.

Before her backstage jam session, Dion was revealed as a mystery presenter for the final award of the night, Album of the Year, and took the stage to a standing ovation before presenting the trophy to Taylor Swift . The two also shared an embrace backstage .

Quick Facts

Early life and french albums, american breakthrough: beauty and the beast, “the power of love” and “because you loved me”, titanic and “my heart will go on”, late ’90s: awards and tours, husband and children, global fame and vegas residencies, health problems and husband’s death, new tours and albums, stiff person syndrome diagnosis, who is céline dion.

Céline Dion is a French-Canadian singer known for her power ballads, including the Academy Award –winning theme song “My Heart Will Go On” from the 1997 film Titanic . A star from a young age, Dion had recorded nine French albums and won numerous awards by the time she was 18. She delivered her first English-language album, Unison , in 1990. Dion’s real breakthrough into pop music stardom came in 1992 when she recorded the theme to Disney’s hit animated feature Beauty and the Beast . Her No. 1 hits include “The Power of Love,” “Because You Loved Me,” and “I’m Your Angel.”

FULL NAME: Céline Marie Claudette Dion BORN: March 30, 1968 BIRTHPLACE: Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada SPOUSE: René Angélil (1994-2016) CHILDREN: René-Charles, Eddy, and Nelson ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aries

Céline Marie Claudette Dion was born on March 30, 1968, in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada. The youngest of 14 children of Adhemar and Therese Dion, she grew up in a close-knit musical family. Her parents formed a singing group, Dion’s Family, and they toured Canada when Céline was still an infant. They later opened a piano bar, where 5-year-old Céline would perform to the delight of customers.

At the age of 12, Dion recorded a demo tape of a song she wrote with her mother. They sent the tape to the manager and producer René Angélil, who handled the career of popular French singer Ginette Reno. After hearing the tape and inviting Dion to perform for him in person, Angélil signed her immediately under the condition that he would have complete control over her career. He mortgaged his own home to finance her debut album, La Voix du bon Dieu .

By 18, Dion had recorded nine French albums and won numerous Felix and Juno awards, the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy Award. In 1988, she won the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, and her performance was broadcast live in countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Japan. After this taste of international acclaim, she began looking to the south and American stardom.

Dion recorded her first English-language album, Unison , in 1990. Like most of her English-language albums, it was a collaboration with the songwriter-arranger-musician David Foster. Driven by the Top 5 single “Where Does My Heart Beat Now,” Unison sold more than one million copies worldwide.

Dion’s real breakthrough into pop music stardom came in 1992, when she recorded the theme to Disney’s hit animated feature Beauty and the Beast , a duet with Peabo Bryson. The song, “Beauty and the Beast,” made it to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won both a Grammy and an Academy Award.

It was featured on her second English album, Celine Dion , which became her first gold record in the United States and sold more than 12 million copies internationally. Another hit from the album “If You Asked Me To” made it to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart. The undeniable success of her self-titled effort allowed Dion to launch her first headlining tour in the United States.

Dion quickly capitalized on her newfound fame, releasing the top-selling The Colour of My Love in 1993. The album showcased the romantic power ballads that Dion had become known for, including “When I Fall in Love,” which was featured on the soundtrack for the hit film Sleepless in Seattle , and “The Power of Love,” her first single to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Dion’s international stardom was solidified by her performance of “The Power of the Dream,” at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. That same year, her album Falling Into You , including the No. 1 hit “Because You Loved Me” (from the soundtrack to Robert Redford’ s sentimental 1996 film, Up Close and Personal ), won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album.

The following year, however, would hold even greater glory for Dion, with the release of the blockbuster film Titanic (1997), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet . Dion sang the film’s theme song, “My Heart Will Go On.” The film raked in a record number of Oscar nominations—it won 11, including the award for Best Song—and Dion’s ballad became ubiquitous on radio stations around the world.

Included on both the Titanic soundtrack album and Dion’s own Let’s Talk About Love (1997), “My Heart Will Go On” shot to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100—marking the singer’s third No. 1 hit—and sold a combined 50 million records worldwide. Let’s Talk About Love also featured collaborations with the likes of Barbra Streisand , Luciano Pavarotti , the Bee Gees , and Bryan Adams.

“My Heart Will Go On” kept some of its popularity over the following decades, even becoming the subject of an internet meme in which it is played over video clips out of context or to add emphasis to particularly significant moments.

Dion received the National Order of Quebec, her province’s highest honor, in April 1998. Later that year, she appeared alongside Aretha Franklin , Mariah Carey , Gloria Estefan , and Shania Twain on the high-profile televised concert Divas Live on VH-1.

While touring relentlessly and recording several albums (including S'il Suffisait d'Aimer and a holiday album, These Are Special Times , both released in 1998), Dion was well-rewarded at the Billboard Music Awards in late 1998, where she won six awards, including for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for 1997’s Let’s Talk About Love .

Her extensive 14-country tour, which began in the summer of 1998, culminated in a gala concert in Montreal on December 31, 1999, in honor of the new millennium. Dion scored her fourth No. 1 hit with “I’m Your Angel,” a duet with R&B singer R. Kelly featured on These Are Special Times.

In 1994, Dion merged her personal and professional life when she married her manager, René Angélil, who was 26 years her senior. Angélil and his second wife had divorced in the 1980s, and around this same time, he and Dion had begun a romantic relationship. The couple became engaged in 1991 and tied the knot at Montreal’s Notre Dame Basilica in an elaborate ceremony that was celebrated throughout Canada.

In early 2000, Dion announced that she was taking time off from her career in order to focus on her family. She and Angélil had been trying to have children for years, and eventually decided to use in vitro fertilization to conceive. In May 2000, Dion underwent two small operations at a fertility clinic in New York to improve her chances of becoming pregnant.

Her efforts were successful, and on January 25, 2001, Dion gave birth to a boy, René-Charles. She revealed in interviews that she had stored another fertilized egg in the fertility clinic and planned someday to give her son a sibling. On October 23, 2010, at age 42, Dion gave birth to twin boys, Eddy and Nelson.

After a two-year hiatus, Celine Dion returned in March 2002 with A New Day Has Come , which topped the charts in more than 17 countries. A year later, she began a much-hyped 36-month engagement at Caesars Palace, the famous Las Vegas hotel and casino. Dion simultaneously released the album One Heart , which did not fare as strongly as its predecessor.

Dion returned to creating French-language albums with 2003’s 1 Fille & 4 Types . Partnering with photographer Anne Geddes, she had a hit with the children’s music album Miracle: A Celebration of New Life (2004). In 2007, Dion released two albums: Taking Chances, which nearly reached the top of the pop album charts, and D’Elles , another French-language recording.

While no longer dominating the charts as she once did, Dion remained a popular entertainer. In June 2009, Forbes reported that the singer had earned approximately $100 million the previous year, making her the second-highest earning musician on the magazine’s list after Madonna .

Dion’s follow-up albums included the French-language Sans attendre (2012) and Encore un soir (2016), as well as Loved Me Back to Life (2013) for English-speaking fans. She also embarked on another residency at Caesars Palace in 2011.

In August 2014, Dion canceled all of her shows scheduled through March 22, 2015, to focus on her husband and her children. Angélil was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999, after which he was successfully treated. But his cancer had returned. “I want to devote every ounce of my strength and energy to my husband’s healing, and to do so, it’s important for me to dedicate this time to him and to our children,” the singer said in a statement.

The superstar also dealt with her own health issues in 2014: According to a press release, she had “inflammation in her throat muscles” which prevented her from performing in her Las Vegas show.

In a 2015 interview with USA Today , the singer spoke about her husband’s cancer treatment: “When you see someone who is fighting so hard, it has a big impact on you. You have two choices. You look at your husband who’s very sick and you can’t help, and it kills you. Or you look at your husband that’s sick and you say, ‘I got you. I got it. I’m here. It’s going to be just fine.’” On January 14, 2016, Angélil died at the age of 73 in the family’s Las Vegas home.

Recovering from her loss, Dion returned to the stage for what became an annual summer tour beginning in 2016. She also resumed her Las Vegas residency, before the long-running show concluded in June 2019.

That September, Dion released three new singles and embarked on a world tour in support of her upcoming album. Fans were thrilled to receive her first English-language studio album in six years, with Courage debuting atop the Billboard 200 in November.

The tour was paused at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and would continue to face postponements and cancellations over the next three years because of Dion’s health.

In April 2023, Dion released her first new song in four years with “Love Again,” the title track to a romantic comedy film of the same name. She appeared in the film and also contributed four additional new songs to the soundtrack.

In December 2022, Dion revealed that she had been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome. SPS is an autoimmune condition that causes severe muscle tightness and spasms, with some patients even experiencing symptoms such as double vision, lack of coordination, and slurred speech. It is believed to affect only one to two out of every million people.

Dion said in a video clip she had been experiencing spasms that affected her everyday life, including her ability to walk and properly use her vocal cords. As a result, she postponed the spring 2023 leg of her world tour to the following year and canceled eight more performances.

In May 2023, Dion announced that the rest of the tour—42 dates through April 2024—was canceled because she couldn’t “successfully prepare for and perform” its remainder during her treatment for the incurable ailment. Despite a report that her touring career was in jeopardy, she released a statement telling fans, “I’m not giving up, and I can’t wait to see you again!”

In September 2023, her sister Claudette revealed the singer experiences uncomfortable spasms, and that there was “little that we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.” Just a few months later in December, Claudette told 7 Jours Céline had lost control of her muscles—casting more uncertainty over the singer’s overall health and a potential comeback.

Despite such setbacks, Dion made a surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards in February 2024, presenting the Album of the Year award to Taylor Swift . The singer received a standing ovation from attendees. “When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” she said .

• I have decided a long time ago that I wanted to be an open book.
• After everything is said and done, at the end of the day, it’s about songs.
• In life, if you don’t take chances, you’ll never know.
• To have success is not hard. To remain the person that you are is the most difficult thing to accomplish... That’s my biggest success.
• I want to be professional in my show business life, but I also want to be professional as a mother.
• You can ’ t go back in the past. There are things you can ’ t fix. But you can make things better.
• In terms of music, I can try anything I want, even something that doesn’t work at all, because I’m not putting my career in jeopardy.
• I don ’ t know if the camera likes me, but I do like the camera.
• Don ’ t be so familiar and so much into the details. Keep people dreaming. Close the window, and make them wonder.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn ’ t look right, contact us !

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.

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Céline: The Authorized Biography

by Germain, Georges-Hebert

About the book

Simply entitled Céline , this is the long-awaited, authorized biography of Céline Dion, the rags-to-riches story of a woman who has become the leading recording artist in the world.

First published in French in Quebec in December 1997, Céline has sold in excess of 120,000 copies in Quebec alone. A French-language edition will be released in France this fall, to coincide with the release of a new French album.

Céline Dion is one of the world's best-loved and best-selling recording artists; her singles and albums have topped the international charts for several years. Her awards include numerous Junos, Grammys, and World Music Awards. Her most recent album, Let's Talk About Love, has already sold over 25 million units world-wide since its release in November 1997. The song "My Heart Will Go On" from the box-office record-setting film Titanic is now the most frequently heard single in the history of American radio.

Céline is the story of Céline Dion, her family, and her husband; it is the story of a child, with thirteen siblings, from a lower middle-class family, who grew up to achieve the status of pop icon and global diva. Along the way, she garnered the respect of some of the top people in the music industry, such as David Foster, Barbra Streisand, Luciano Pavarotti, and Sir George Martin.

Germain gives the reader the full story of how René Angélil became Céline's manager and, eventually, her husband. He also tells how René brought Céline to the status of pop icon in Quebec and then worked to help her achieve the same status on a global level.

The competitive world of the contemporary music industry is revealed how the deals are put together, how the marketing machinery is motivated, and how songs come to be chosen and produced. Making it to the top demands talent certainly, but also overriding ambition, good luck, and marketing savvy.

Céline is also a close-up of American popular culture, and the impact it has around the world. The book shows how a singing sensation becomes the guest of prime ministers, presidents, and sultans.

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Céline Dion

• Born March 30 , 1968 · Charlemagne, Québec, Canada
• Birth name Céline Marie Claudette Dion
• Queen Céline
• The Queen of Pop
• Queen of Adult Contemporary
• Queen of Power Ballads
• Height 5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
• Hailing from the small town of Charlemagne, Québec, Céline Dion has become one of the all-time greatest singers. Céline was born in 1968, the youngest of 14 children. Early in childhood, she sang with her siblings in a small club owned by her parents. From these early experiences, Céline gained the know-how to performing live. At the age of 12, Dion composed a song in her native French and sent it to a record company, where it garnered the attention of René Angélil, a respected manager. Angélil believed in Céline so much that he actually mortgaged his house in order to finance her debut album. Already very popular and successful internationally, Céline burst onto the U.S. stage when she recorded the theme song to Disney's hit Beauty and the Beast (1991) . The song garnered a Grammy and an Oscar, and from this point Céline has brought forth hit after hit. Her 'Falling Into You' album, released in 1996, became the best-selling album of that year, selling more than 25 million copies worldwide. In 1999, Dion took a hiatus in order to begin a family. She returned to the spotlight in 2002, releasing yet another hit album. Starting in 2003, Céline began a three-year commitment to perform in an arena built for her in Las Vegas. - IMDb Mini Biography By: T.J. Magwire
• Spouse René Angélil (December 17, 1994 - January 14, 2016) (his death, 3 children)
• Children René-Charles Angélil Nelson Angélil Eddy Angélil
• Parents Adhémar Dion Therese Tanguay Dion
• Relatives Louise Dion (Sibling) Jacques Dion (Sibling) Daniel Dion (Sibling) Ghislaine Dion (Sibling) Linda Dion (Sibling) Denise Dion (Sibling) Clement Dion (Sibling) Claudette Dion (Sibling) Liette Dion (Sibling) Michel Dion (Sibling) Manon Dion (Sibling) Paul Dion (Sibling) Pauline Dion (Sibling)
• Powerful voice spanning three octaves
• Distinctive Quebec accent
• Long brown flowing hair
• November 30, 2003: She performed the same night her father died and dedicated the show to him.
• Soon after giving birth to her twin sons Eddy and Nelson, she admitted she initially expected triplets, but one of the babies has died.
• She sings frequently in English and French, but she has also sung in Spanish, German and Japanese.
• Husband mortgaged his house to fund Celine's first album when she was an unknown 12-year-old.
• She is three months younger than her stepson Patrick Angélil.
• I guess it all depends on your nature. Some people can't stand being alone. I love solitude and silence. But when I come out of it, I'm a regular talking machine. It's all or nothing for me.
• There's always a new thing happening to me that's even more extraordinary, so pressure gets harder. But I like it when it's hard. Anyone can do it when it's easy. When it's hard and you can do it good, you're proud of yourself. There's going to be more pressure as the years go by, that's for sure. But I think I'm a hard worker and I'm ready for that. As long as I believe in what I'm doing, the pressure is okay with me.
• For me, singing was real life, not two plus two equals four.
• I'll be a Quebecker-Canadian. I'm from Quebec and every time I go to a country I say that. It's my roots, my origins and it's the most important thing to me.
• There's one way to do showbiz, if you want to do it perfectly, you have to be disciplined and you have to be ready to work really hard.

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• Entertainment

Céline Dion Documentary Sets Premiere Date on Prime Video and Shares First Look Image

The upcoming Prime Video documentary 'I Am: Céline Dion' explores the Canadian superstar's iconic career and recent diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome

Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

It won't be long before fans will be able to see Céline Dion like never before.

Amazon and MGM Studios announced the release date for the highly anticipated documentary about the Canadian superstar , I Am: Céline Dion , on Tuesday, April 16. The film, which examines Dion's legendary career and recent diagnosis with the rare autoimmune neurological disorder stiff-person syndrome (SPS), will debut on streaming globally on Tuesday, June 25.

In addition to announcing the release date for the upcoming documentary directed by Irene Taylor, a first look image of I Am: Céline Dion was also revealed.

Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

The shot is a recent image of the "My Heart Will Go On" singer, 56, taken from her side profile with her hair pulled back. Dion appears to be in high spirits in the photo, as she's in the midst of holding up an empowered fist.

The Grammy winner posted the preview image on her Instagram and teased the release date, as well as the film's official synopsis, in the caption.

A handful of fans took to the comments to share how much they're looking forward to the documentary.

"OMG MOTHER IS COMINGGGG," one follower replied, while another said, "I can't wait to see this- WE LOVE YOU CELINE!! ❤️❤️❤️."

Fellow hitmaker Cyndi Lauper also commented, "Many many blessings! Love you Celine! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙌 🔥."

Samir Hussein/Redferns

I Am: Céline Dion is described in the official synopsis as "a love letter to fans" and "a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness."

The film also "highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit," according to the synopsis.

Taylor, who helms the project, is an Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning filmmaker. She previously directed hit documentaries like Beware the Slenderman  and  Leave No Trace: A Hidden History of the Boy Scouts , among others.

When the forthcoming doc was announced earlier this year in January, Dion shared a statement in a press release. She said, "This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me."

"As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans,” the "I'm Alive" singer continued. "During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis."

Emma McIntyre/Getty

I Am: Céline Dion is set to premiere nearly two and a half years since the songstress first publicly shared in late 2022 that she had been diagnosed with SPS .

At the time, the songstress opened up to fans in a video posted to Instagram about the condition, which affects the central nervous system and can cause "hyper-rigidity, debilitating pain, chronic anxiety," per the Stiff Person Syndrome Foundation .

Several months after announcing her diagnosis, Dion also made the decision to cancel her tour dates for the foreseeable future to focus on her health.

In more recent months, the pop icon has stepped out for several public appearances , including several NHL games and the 2024 Grammys in February, where she surprised the crowd by presenting the album of the year award .

Dion shared a post on Instagram in mid-March in honor of SPS Awareness Day and opened up in the caption about how she's working hard to "overcome" the condition .

Along with a photo of herself posing all three of her sons — René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson — the superstar wrote, "Today the world recognizes International SPS Awareness Day."

"As many of you know, in the fall of 2022, I was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)," she continued. "Trying to overcome this autoimmune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences of my life, but I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible. I am deeply grateful for the love and support from my kids, family, team and all of you!"

Dion concluded, "I want to send my encouragement and support to all those around the world that have been affected by SPS. I want you to know you can do it! We can do it!"

Related Articles

Celine Dion documentary gets a release date

The studio also released a first-look image of Dion in the new documentary.

The documentary focused on Celine Dion and her journey with Stiff-Person Syndrome officially has a release date.

"I Am: Celine Dion" will begin streaming June 25 on Prime Video, according to a press release.

The Amazon Studios project, which was announced earlier this year, will be directed by "Beware the Slenderman" director Irene Taylor.

Described as "a raw and honest behind-the-scenes look" at Dion's experiences, it's also a "love letter to her fans" that "highlights the music that has guided her life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit," according to the streamer.

Dion also posted the date announcement on her Instagram , celebrating the news.

MORE: Celine Dion reveals she's been diagnosed with rare neurological disorder, reschedules tour

"As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans," Dion said in a statement when the film was announced. "During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis," she continued.

Dion was diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome in December of 2022 and has so far been unable to return to the concert stage.

Stiff-Person Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that affects a person's muscles and can cause "greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms," according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , a division of the National Institutes of Health.

The condition "is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as [Type 1 diabetes], thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia," according to the agency, and affects twice as many women as men.

"Scientists don't yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord," the NINDS states.

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Dion first came forward about her Stiff-Person Syndrome diagnosis in December 2022, in a video she shared on social media.

The diagnosis led her to reschedule dates for her 2023 Courage World Tour.

"I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through," she said in the video, adding, "It hurts me to tell you that I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February."

MORE: Celine Dion posts photo with sons on Stiff-Person Syndrome Awareness Day

In May 2023, Dion announced the cancellation of the remaining dates of her tour.

"I'm so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I'm working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you're 100%," she said in a statement at the time. "It's not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it's best that we cancel everything now until I'm really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know, I'm not giving up… and I can't wait to see you again!"

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‘I Am: Celine Dion' Documentary Release Date Revealed: Here's When It's Coming

Forget "The Power of Love," the world is going to get an up-close behind-the-scenes look at the power of Céline Dion in her new documentary, which finally received an official release date.

On Tuesday (April 16), via a joint Instagram post on the official pages for Dion and Prime Movies, Amazon MGM Studios announced that I Am: Céline Dion will begin streaming globally on Prime Video on June 25.

Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Céline Dion promises a "raw and honest" look at the superstar's battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, also known as Moersch-Woltman Syndrome. According to a press release from Amazon MGM Studios, the film will also "highlight the music that has guided [Céline's] life while also showcasing the resilience of the human spirit. In a first-look image of I Am: Céline Dion shared by Amazon MGM Studios, the five-time Grammy winner raises a defiant fist with her face wearing an expression somewhere between amusement and resilience.

I Am: Céline Dion , which was first announced by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year (Jan. 30), is slated to arrive nearly a year and a half after the "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" singer revealed her diagnosis. Stiff Person Syndrome affects one in a million people, and in a clip posted to social media (Dec. 8, 2022), Dion shared, "Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life. Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to."

With Taylor helming the film, I Am: Céline Dion is sure to handle its subject matter with care. In 2009, Taylor earned an Oscar nomination for best documentary short film for The Final Inch , which chronicled the fight to eradicate polio.

Although Dion canceled all her upcoming concerts due to her battle with the neurological disease, she was able to make her film acting debut in 2023's Love Again , which co-starred Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan. For the film, Dion recorded five new songs, including lead single "Love Again." The Love Again soundtrack reached No. 71 on Top Album Sales and No. 20 on US Soundtrack Albums. A few months later (Feb. 4), Dion made a surprise appearance at the Grammys to present Taylor Swift with her fourth album of the year trophy.

Read Céline Dion's official announcement of her forthcoming documentary below.

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Céline Dion Documentary Premiere Date Revealed & First-Look Image

Céline Dion ‘s highly anticipated documentary I Am: Céline Dion  is arriving this summer.

Amazon and MGM Studios announced the film is coming to Prime Video , and audiences – near, far, or wherever they are – can stream the documentary globally on June 25.

The documentary will showcase a never-before-seen look into the career and health struggles of the Canadian icon, as its release is set nearly two and half years since the singer publicly shared that she was diagnosed with SPS, or stiff-person syndrome, in 2022. Symptoms of the condition affect the central nervous system and can cause debilitating pain and chronic anxiety.

In the months following her diagnosis, Dion made the difficult decision to cancel her 2023 summer tour dates and reschedule her spring shows to 2024 to focus on her health, marking a crucial moment in the singer’s career and life as she has been touring around the world since 1983.

“All I know is singing,” Dion shared in her video announcement on Instagram. “It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”

Now, I  Am: Céline Dion  not only celebrates her return to the stage (and the screen) but serves as a love letter to her fans, to whom she has attributed much of her strength and success, as she’s worked hard to overcome her condition with trainers, doctors, and her family. Amazon and MGM Studios have also released a first look image of the documentary, featuring Dion holding up a fist in what we can only assume is a moment of triumph and empowerment.

The five-time Grammy winner’s Twitter posted the photo as well, announcing the release date to its followers and marking its spot in all of our calendars.

In recent months, Dion has made increasingly more and more public appearances, including a few NHL games and, most notably, the 2024 Grammys where she surprised audiences everywhere when she presented to the album of the year award to Taylor Swift .

The documentary is directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor and is produced by Tom Mackay, Julie Begey Seureau, and Taylor.

I Am: Céline Dion, Global Streaming Premiere, Tuesday, J une 25, Prime Video

I Am: Céline Dion

Céline dion.