Celine Dion’s voice is definitely one of the finest we have ever heard, and she is certainly one of the industry’s greatest singers. As a matter of fact, her three-octave range goes from B2 to E♭6.
Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The International Singing Sensation Celine Dion
In addition, she is truly beautiful inside and out. However, the life she has had is far from easy, and she has been dealing with all sorts of difficulties that we can’t even imagine.
Her Life Was Never Dull
Celine Dion is admired by a lot of people because of her talent and resilience. From the beginning, she has had a lot of obstacles to overcome, and even with her incredible level of success now, everything is still not always smooth-sailing.
Her Life Is Never Dull
She had to handle her career in spite of many health issues and a controversial relationship. However, Celine always gives her best during performances and makes sure that she looks happy.
Her Husband’s Diagnosis
In 1999, Celine got devastating news about Rene, her husband. He was diagnosed with throat cancer and needed to be confined at the hospital. Celine decided to look after him and do it full time.
Her Husband’s Diagnosis
Rene’s health problem turned out to be a major trial in Celine’s ongoing career. She did everything she could to help him live life as comfortably as possible.
Celine’s Mom Hated Her Relationship
From the start, her mother disapproved of Celine and Rene’s relationship. According to Celine, “When I told her I had some really strong feelings for Rene she tried everything to kill him and make me snap out of it… ”
Celine’s Mom Hated Her Relationship
She added, “I was very frustrated and mad at first, but she tried to make me understand that this man tried marriage twice before – he has three children, he’s not responsible, ‘I want the perfect Prince Charming for you.’”
She Had Problems Conceiving
In 2000, while Celine was in the middle of concerts and tours, she took a break from her career. She did this for her family and during this time, she underwent in-vitro fertilization procedures two times to boost their chances of conceiving.
She Had Problems Conceiving
Celine and her husband chose to go this route after trying many times without success. Finally, she gave birth to a baby boy in 2001 and they named him Rene-Charles Dion Angelil.
She Almost Died
At the young age of 5, Celine had a near-death experience. She was hit by a truck and was in a coma for one whole week. Her family, especially her parents, must have been terrified while this was happening.
She Almost Died
Thankfully, Celine fully recovered from the accident and the fractured skull that she suffered. All the same, this event must have been a traumatizing one.
She Hated My Heart Will Go On
We bet that when the song “My Heart Will Go On” started playing in Titanic, everyone was captivated by the track. However, Celine Dion was not really sure about the song, thinking it wouldn’t become famous and would affect her career negatively.
She Hated My Heart Will Go On
In an interview, Celine said, “I didn’t really like the song, at first. I did another song for a movie before. It was very successful, and I thought we were pushing our luck”
They Called Her A Traitor
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast featured another Celine Dion song that went on to become a chart-topper. She even won her first Grammy for this performance, but the song caused a massive backlash among her Quebecois fans.
They Called Her A Traitor
This led Celine to decline the award that she won at the Felix Awards for English Artist of the Year. She did this to show that she was a proud French-Canadian and she supported her home country.
Celine Wasn’t Planned
A lot of people don’t know that Celine has 13 siblings and she is the youngest. Her family was financially unstable, so her mother didn’t really plan on having more kids after she gave birth to her 13th child.
Celine Wasn’t Planned
It seems destiny had other plans. Celine slept in a cabinet drawer when she was a baby because all the beds in her family’s house were taken.
Her Husband Put His Foot Down
Rene played a part in Celine recording her iconic song “My Heart Will Go On.” He convinced her that it will become a hit. When Jonathan Ross interviewed her, Celine recalled, “[Angélil] said, ‘Let’s just do a demo. Let’s give it a try and we’ll see after.’”
Her Husband Put His Foot Down
She added, “The demo is actually the real recording. I never sang the song again.” The song from Titanic won many awards and will forever be her trademark song.
A Shark When It Comes To Business
Aside from being Celine’s mother, Therese Tanguay Dion is also a well-known chef in Quebec. Celine’s skills and passion for cooking must have come from her mother.
A Shark When It Comes To Business
Celine herself opened her first restaurant in Quebec back in 1990. It became a massive hit like her songs and after a lot of success, she decided to expand Nickels and open other branches all over Canada.
Suing For Millions For Spreading Lies
The 1990s was really stressful for Celine since she released 13 albums and found out about Rene’s health problem in this decade. She realized that she had to take a break not only for herself but also for her family.
Suing Millions For Spreading Lies
During Celine’s hiatus, the National Enquirer magazine ran a story about her having twins. She filed a $20 million lawsuit against the magazine, which quickly issued an apology and gave the American Cancer Society the money.
Doctor Dion
Celine Dion has received plenty of awards. She has been given the highest honor by her province, The National Order of Quebec and she has stars in the Hollywood as well as the Canadian Walks of Fame.
Doctor Dion
In addition to those impressive accolades, she was given an honorary doctorate by the Laval University. Celine dedicated it to her husband and said it was “a very great honor for a little girl from Charlemagne.”
She Had No Other Choice
A couple of years before Celine Dion was born, Hugues Aufray, a famous French artist, released a song titled “Céline.” 5-year-old Celine sang the song that she was named at her brother’s wedding.
She Had No Other Choice
The performance made everyone see her extraordinary talent. There are many musicians in Celine’s family, but it was clear she had a lot of potential.
Discovered In The Weirdest Way
Celine’s brother Jacques, together with their mother, wrote songs for Celine. They believed that Celine would be a great singer and her mother did all she could to make sure that Celine have a spot in the music industry.
Discovered In The Weirdest Way
Fortunately, all of her family’s efforts paid off. They managed to get the attention of Rene Angelil, a Canadian music producer and talent manager.
Her Mom Had To Interfere
It was Celine’s mother who first sent a demo and a note to Rene. It read: “This is a 12-year-old with a fantastic voice. Please listen to her. We want her to be like Ginette Reno.”
Her Mom Had To Interfere
Rene didn’t immediately reply and Celine’s brother had to persuade the producer to give it a shot. Rene decided to listen to Celine’s voice, and he contacted her immediately after to audition for him.
Her Audition Was Far From Normal
Rene was thrilled to personally meet Celine after listening to her amazing demo. When Celine got to his office, Rene gave her a pretend microphone and said to her, “Here’s your microphone.”
Her Audition Was Far From Normal
He then told her, “Now sing as though you were in front of a sellout audience.” Celine went for it and he was completely stunned by her performance. He believed that Celine was born to perform.
Younger Than Her Own Stepson
Before his relationship with Celine, Rene Angelil had already had two failed marriages. He had a son, Patrick Angelil, from his first marriage, which ended in 1972, and another two children from his second marriage, which ended in 1986.
Younger Than Her Own Stepson
In 1994, Rene and Celine tied the knot in an extravagant wedding. The pair had difficulty conceiving, but eventually welcomed a boy in 2001 and twin boys back in 2010.
Rene Burst Into Tears
Celine recalled that during her audition, Rene became quite emotional. “While I was singing, he (Rene) started to cry,” she mentioned. “I knew then I had done a good job.”
Rene Burst Into Tears
At that moment, Rene knew she will become a star and he recruited her. He already knew how to accomplish that. He was prepared to deal with any hurdle on the way to the top.
High Stakes Gambler
To produce Celine’s first album, Rene took a huge personal risk by taking out a loan and using his house as collateral! It sounds crazy now, but it seems his risk paid off big time.
High Stakes Gambler
All their sacrifices were met with success as Celine’s song became number one in Canada. Rene was an avid gambler, but this might have been the biggest risk he had ever taken.
The Pope Loved Her
In 1984, Quebec was one of the places that Pope John II visited. At 16 years old, Celine sang the national anthem at the event in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, in front of the Pope and thousands of fans.
The Pope Loved Her
After the event and being very successful on Canadian charts, Celine was clearly on her way to stardom. She was really pleased to have sung for the Pope and he also enjoyed her performance.
She Demanded Time To Grow Up
Did you know that Rene told Celine to have a break at a time when her career was just starting? It was definitely a huge risk since Celine was still in the process of making a name for herself as an artist during that time.
She Demanded Time To Grow Up
Despite the risk, Celine took a year and a half away from the spotlight. The reason for this was very specific – she wanted to achieve stardom like Michael Jackson. For Celine to become a star like Michael, Rene knew that she would have to change her look and be rebranded.
Learning English And Going Global
Contrary to what many people thought, the move ended up being very beneficial for Celine’s career. When she had her comeback, fans noticed Celine’s evolution – she was more confident and her English pronunciation when singing improved.
Learning English And Going Global
Her album “Incognito” sold over 500,000 copies. . Unfortunately, while on tour, she had a mishap and injured her voice, which forced her to go through vocal training and have a three-week break in order to avoid surgery.
America’s Sweetheart Was Born
In 1990, Celine had more success in her career when she launched her first English album called “Unison.” It shot her to stardom in America and she became well-known throughout the world.
America’s Sweetheart Was Born
The album’s songs became hits, particularly “Where Does My Heart Beat Now,” which entered the top 10. However, in the middle of enjoying this massive success, something caught her by surprise.
Almost Losing Her Voice Forever
While preparing for the tour, Celine lost her voice and could not sing. She was suffering from exhaustion and laryngitis and she did not know what to do.
Almost Losing Her Voice Forever
Initially, she had no plans of canceling the tour, but doctors advised her against more singing since it would further damage her vocal cords. She needed to take a break from singing in order to recover.
Revealing Her Big Secret
There were a lot of speculations about Celine and Rene’s relationship, but the pair did not confirm anything right away. For many people, Celine and Rene’s 26-year age-gap made it inappropriate for the two to be in a relationship.
Revealing Her Big Secret
Just before her album “The Colour of My Love” was launched, Celine confirmed the already swirling rumors of her romance with Rene.
Fearing The Public
They had a May-December love affair: 46-year-old Rene and 19-year-old Celine. They knew they would get criticisms about their relationship owing to the big age gap.
Fearing The Public
Nevertheless, they faced the criticisms head-on and started officially dating back in 1987. They got engaged in 1991 and got married in 1994. They tied the knot in Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica.
She’s A Fantastic Secret Keeper
Before revealing the big secret, the couple kept it to themselves for half a decade. It was Celine who that wanted to announce it in spite of the public reaction as well as the publicity.
She’s A Fantastic Secret Keeper
She said, “When you’re in love, you want to scream it to the world.” Keeping a huge secret for a long time must have been quite difficult for Celine and Rene.
Going Overboard
The wedding ceremony of Celine and Rene was aired live on Canadian TV. They exchanged vows in the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal on December 17, 1994. With the number of people that tuned in to watch it, it was as if there was a Royal Wedding in Canada.
Going Overboard
The wedding was extravagant, down to the last detail. From Celine’s wedding dress to the venue as well as the outrageous décor, the whole wedding was truly the epitome of luxury.
Bridezilla Or Royal Princess?
Even after the wedding, people continued talking about Celine’s wedding dress., which was designed by the couple Mirella and Steve Gentile. The famous fashion designers spent more than 1,000 hours to finish the piece!
Bridezilla Or Royal Princess?
The twenty-feet-long dress was paired with a tiara that weighed twenty pounds, and Celine looked like a real-life princess while wearing them. The photos show that her look was timeless.
Pricey Homes And Multiple Investments
The power couple’s Florida mansion set them back a staggering $72 million. It was so expensive because it came with a golf course, a water park, and three pools, among other incredible amenities.
Pricey Homes And Multiple Investments
Not to mention the mansion is on Juniper Island, just off the coast of Florida, where many other luxurious celebrity mansions are also located. To top it off, the estate includes a tennis court.
He Was Her Everything
After the sensational success of Titanic, Celine began her world tour “Let’s Talk About Love,” around the same time they found out Rene had cancer.
He Was Her Everything
Celine learned the heartbreaking news while she was performing. She decided to sing a tribute song for him. On January 14, 2016, Rene succumbed to the disease.
Her Children’s Names Were Chosen Carefully
The couple welcomed their twins later on after going through a variety of treatments. On October 23, 2010, Nelson and Eddy were born. Celine and Rene named Nelson after Nelson Mandela, the famous South-African president.
Her Children’s Names Were Chosen Carefully
They named Eddy after Eddy Marnary, the producer of the first five records that Celine released. Not long after welcoming the twins to the world, Celine graced the cover of Hello! magazine (the Canadian edition) with her newborn twins.
Dreaming Of Changing The World
Celine Dion is also active in doing charity work. When Asia was hit by the terrifying tsunami, Celine organized an event which managed to raise one million dollars for the victims.
Dreaming Of Changing The World
In addition, she donated one million dollars to the people affected by Hurricane Katrina and let the world know regarding the US government’s inefficiency.
Her Secret Dad
Another person who had a big role in Celine’s success is Adhemar Dion, her father. Sadly, he passed away in 2001, which was very difficult on Celine as she was close to him.
Her Secret Dad
Celine mentioned, “My dad was and is still my number one fan since I was a very little girl. I know that my dad would want me to be here tonight on stage with everyone I love, doing what we love.”
She Prepared her Kids for Death
It was a very big task for Celine to tell her kids about Rene’s condition. When she was asked about it, she commented, “I’m proud of the way I prepared my boys for their dad’s death.”
She Prepared Her Kids For Death
She added, “In life, you never know what’s going to happen, so you should never wait for tomorrow to do what can be done today, to say I love you, or send a thank-you note…The future is now.”
Her Son is Too Young
Rene Charles Angelil first appeared publicly at the Billboard Music Awards. His mother won an award and he was the one who presented it to her.
Her Son Is Too Young
Many people were amazed by how gorgeous Celine’s first son was. Actually, it is pretty common for celebrities to have their children accompany them during public appearance.
She Made it to 90
To this day, Celine’s beloved mother is still pretty healthy and living her life well. In fact, she recently celebrated her birthday – her 92nd!
She Made It To 90
In addition to being a global superstar’s stage mom, Celine’s mother also hosts a cooking show in their home country, Canada. What’s more, she has her line of food products.
She NEVER Misses a Beat
Celine Dion is known for being really easy to interview. Talk show hosts as well as journalists love that about her and it seems they can’t get enough of her.
She NEVER Misses A Beat
When Celine was on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the host praised the star’s jewelry, to which she responded by singing “She worked hard for the money,” referencing the well-known Donna Summer song. There is no doubt that Celine’s joyous attitude played a part in her career taking off.
Without a Brother
Celine had to overcome many obstacles in her life. The week that Rene died, her brother Daniel also passed away due to cancer.
Without A Brother
To say that it was a terrible week for the family is an understatement. Unfortunately, a lot of families experience the suffering and pain of a loved one passing away from the terrible disease.
Her Siblings Never Made It Big
Celine came from a family who was really talented in music. In fact, her older sister Claudette also pursued a music career.
Her Siblings Never Made It Big
Sadly, Claudette has not really reached the same level of success and fame Celine has. However, maybe the future holds something more for Claudette.
Making Money Off Her Fashion Sense
Celine Dion already has a successful music career, but she ventured into another field and released a fashion line. This is no surprise, though, because she is known as one of the most fashionable celebrities in the music industry.
Making Money Off Her Fashion Sense
She was motivated to start her own fashion line, which has had more than 200 pieces. She says the inspiration behind her designs are the members of her family.
TV Debut
Celine Dion is surely talented in a lot of ways. Her acting skills were showcased in a Thanksgiving episode of All My Children, the popular TV series.
TV Debut
In the episode originally broadcast on November 21, 2007, Erica’s (Susan Lucci) has Celine as a guest on her talk show, ‘New Beginnings.’ Celine sings the title track “Taking Chances.”
A Voice Worth Hundreds Of Millions
Celine has started venturing into other fields, but singing remains her passion. After all, it helped her reach her goals, not just for herself but also for her family.
A Voice Worth Hundreds Of Millions
Her estimated net worth is a staggering $800 million. The Canadian businesswoman and singer is among the best-selling artists in history, with over 200 million records sold worldwide.
A Canadian Star
Celine Dion is among the few celebrities from Canada who have a star in the Canadian and Hollywood Walks of Fame?
A Canadian Star
If you happen to visit these places, watch out for her star. She obtained this incredible achievement more than a decade into her successful career.
They Are All Related
Something interesting about Celine is that she is related to some of the biggest stars in music, such as Shania Twain, Madonna, and Beyoncé. It was discovered that their bloodlines are all connected to French Canadian Zacharie Cloutier.
They Are All Related
He left France in 1634 and moved to North America. His family became one of the earliest settlers in the place that used to be called “New France.” Isn’t that amazing?
Master Of Many Tongues
In addition to French and English, Celine can perform in other languages, such as Spanish, Italian, Latin, German, Japanese, and Mandarin. We bet we are not the only ones who are impressed by this fact.
Master Of Many Tongues
Not many performers can say they can do that. It is truly impressive to have the ability to sing in these languages.
A Staggering Net Worth
Celine Dion making an absolute fortune should come as a surprise to no one. Her career spans decades and she has had numerous sold out concerts and her record sales reach millions.
A Staggering Net Worth
In the 2000s, Celine was the highest-earning celebrity. Her performances in Las Vegas earned her an accumulated $465 million. Her other sources of income include her real estate investments, multiple restaurants, fashion line, and TV gigs.
Hit And Miss
Celine has had numerous hits and “My Heart Will Go On” remains her greatest hit. Nevertheless, a few of her songs have not achieved similar success.
Hit And Miss
The song “Dreams to Dream,” which she performed for Universal Pictures’ animated movie An American Tail: Fievel Goes West, did not achieve popularity.
Love of Golf
Did you know Celine Dion’s favorite sport is golf? In fact, she loves both playing and watching it. The sport is among the ways she prefers to relax and unwind.
Love Of Golf
You will be surprised to know that she is a great golfer, probably because she has been playing it for many years. To this day, she still adores the sport.
Love Of Golf
Not many people know that Celine and Rene gave millions for the development of Le Mirage. They did this back in 2008.
Celine Playing Golf
They even advertised the fancy Quebecois club and made a statement to encourage visitors to come to the club. According to the couple, “a visit to the Mirage is an adventure in itself.”
And The Winner Goes To…Celine Dion
Celine Dion has performed at the Oscars several times. In fact, no other artist has performed more often than her. She is definitely deserving of the honor with her wonderful voice!
And The Winner Goes To…Celine Dion
In 1998, she took the stage and performed her iconic hit, “My Heart Will Go On.” According to Celine, this performance is among the defining moments in her career.
The Oscars
The reason why they always ask her to perform is because of the work she has done in different movie soundtracks. In the 2011 Academy Awards, she sang “Smile” to pay tribute to celebrities who died in the previous year.
Oscar Performances
Celine has set a record performing at the Oscars. Her performances were really great and Rolling Stone magazine included them in their top 20 Greatest Best Song Oscar Performances.
Oscar Fashion
Celine never fails to amaze everyone not just with her performances, but in other aspects as well. In 1999, she sported a backward white tuxedo at the Oscars.
Backwards Oscar Tux
At the time, the fashion industry definitely paid attention, but these days, she says it was ahead of its time. Celine claims that if she sported the look recently, it would have gotten adoration.
Backwards White Tux
Celine got a lot of negative feedback when she wore this look. Some even said it was a “fashion disaster.” She told PEOPLE magazine she was happy while she was wearing it, even though she received a negative reaction.
Backwards White Tux
Regardless, it is undeniable that Celine was able to set herself apart from other stars who went to the event! The look actually became sort of her signature as she was seen wearing a blazer backwards again recently.
White Backwards Tux
“When I wore that look, yes it was at the Oscars, and when I wore that, everyone was wearing dresses, not pants,” she said, “I was the only one with pants in a backward suit from Galliano and if I would do this today it would work.”
Backwards White Tux And Gwens Dress At The Oscars
“It was avant-garde at the time. And it doesn’t matter, you just have to assume what you wear, you wear, and I did.” Since then, this look has certainly become iconic.
It’s All Coming Back To Me Now
Did you know Meat Loaf was meant to perform this song originally? It sounds unbelievable now, but back then the composer seriously considered it. He eventually decided on having a female singer sing it.
A Hit Out Of Hell
Needless to say, it was a great decision, considering how extremely popular the song “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” is around the world.
Clinging On To Her Children
It was hard for Celine to move on from the passing of her husband. In an interview, Celine said, “I miss him a lot for my partner, for the man I was embracing, kissing, and making love with.”
Clinging On To Her Children
She explained, “I organize myself to not feel lonely. So what’s happened is I got myself a huge bed and I sleep with my twins. My twins are comforting me a lot. I need them. I need them close.”
She Can Pretty Much Sing Anything
In terms of choosing songs, it seems Celine can sing it all! It is a known fact that she puts her own flavor in other artist’s songs.
She Can Pretty Much Sing Anything
You will understand when you listen to Celine’s covers of hits like Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself,” John Lennon’s “Beautiful Boy,” and Cyndi Lauper’s “I Drove All Night.” Only select artists are able to do that!
Collaborations
In the industry, Celine’s reputation is that of a great collaborator. The sensational singers who have worked with her have attested to this. Some artists she collaborated with are Luciano Pavarotti, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, and Aretha Franklin.
Collaborations
Celine and Barbara’s “Tell Him” was Grammy nominated. The pair were set to perform at the award ceremony but it was cancelled because Barbara got sick and couldn’t sing.
Certified Diamond
Celine Dion has earned the “diamond status” award, one of the few artists who have managed to do so. An album has to sell over 10 million copies to get this prestigious status that the Record Industry Association of America gives.
Certified Diamond
Two of Celine’s albums have been verified diamond status. Her 1996 album “Falling Into You” and her 1997 album “Let’s Talk About Love.”
A Best Selling Female Artist
In 1991, record executives used Nielson Soundscan System to monitor album sales. Statistical data revealed that only Rihanna and Mariah Carey are ahead of Celine in terms of record sales in North America!
A Best Selling Female Artist
Almost all of her albums have earned certifications. They have also become chart toppers in a lot of different countries all around the world. In short, Celine Dion is a global phenomenon!