Celine Dion is a global treasure. The Canadian-born singer, who has been singing since she was a child, is the all-time best-selling artist in French, selling more than 53 million albums in the United States alone.
In addition to her decades-long career as a pop music superstar, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer has become famed for her exceptional sense of style. Take a look at Celine Dion as she grows up, from her early years and major fashion moments to her most recent accomplishments.
Celine Dion was born on March 30, 1968, in Charlemagne, Quebec, the youngest of 14 children. She displayed an early interest in singing and, at the age of 13, released her debut album, La voix du bon Dieu.
René Angélil, her manager, is alleged to have taken out a mortgage on his home to fund the recording of the album. His gamble paid off, as Dion had seven French-language records under her belt and was a household figure in Quebec by the age of 18.
She also underwent a big style makeover and unveiled a new, contemporary look for the 1987 release of her ninth album, Incognito.
Only with the release of Unison, her debut album in English, in 1990 did Dion’s fame begin to spread beyond of Canada. The album’s lead single, “Where Does My Heart Beat Now,” went on to become her first top-ten hit on the American Billboard charts.
She rose to prominence the following year when she sang the lead vocals on the title song for the animated blockbuster Beauty and the Beast. The song, a duet with Peabo Bryson, won Dion her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, as well as an Academy Award for Best Song.
Celine Dion’s international triumph continued with the 1992 release of Celine Dion, which included the “Beauty and the Beast” song as well as other singles such as “You Asked Me To” and “Love Can Move Mountains.”
Following that album was The Color of My Love in 1993, D’Eux in 1995, and Falling Into You in 1996. With the release of each of the three albums, Dion’s international recognition grew, but it wasn’t until 1997, with the release of “My Heart Will Go On,” that she fully broke through.
Many people consider “My Heart Will Go On” to be Celine Dion’s best musical effort because it serves as the main theme from the hit film Titanic. The song topped the Billboard 200 charts for 16 weeks and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
It was on the Titanic soundtrack as well as Celine Dion’s 1997 album, Let’s Talk About Love. As a consequence, the singer got four Grammy Awards, including those for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Let’s Talk About Love sold more than 31 million copies worldwide, making it Dion’s fastest-selling album and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
Despite their 26-year age difference, Dion began dating her manager, René Angélil, in 1987, when she was only 19 years old. The couple made their connection public when Dion dedicated The Color of My Love to him in 1993 and acknowledged her feelings in the album’s liner notes. “When you’re in love, you want to announce it to the world,” she observed.
The couple married a year later. Dion looked gorgeous in a magnificent gown designed by Mirella and Steve Gentile for their wedding, which was televised in Canada. The gown had a 19-foot-long train and a six-pound Swarovski crystal tiara. It was supposedly draped in lace and jewels that took more than 1,000 hours to make.
Dion gave birth to her first child, Rene-Charles, on January 25, 2001. Despite being at the height of her profession, the new mother decided to take a two-year leave of absence from work to care for her child and Angélil, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999.
Dion returned to the stage in 2002 with the release of her 18th studio album, A New Day Has Come. She took another break from the entertainment industry a few years later to give birth to twin boys named Eddy and Nelson on October 23, 2010.
“My children are my best prize,” Dion said in a 2013 interview. “I believe the umbilical cord should not be severed. For me, it’s never over; once you become a mother, you’re a mother for life. It is the most important job and provides your life’s true purpose.”
In order to manage motherhood and stardom, Dion chose to take up residency in Las Vegas rather than embark on a world tour in promotion of A New Day.
The show premiered in 2003 in Caesar’s Palace’s Colosseum, which was designed specifically for her. It ran for five years and generated more than $385 million in income.
Celine, Dion’s second Las Vegas engagement, debuted in 2011. The program, which was supposed to last three years, ended up lasting until 2019, albeit Dion took a year off to care for Angélil after his cancer returned in 2014.
The “Tell Him” singer also credits fashion for her ability to cope with her husband’s death. “It’s amazing how a little bit of fantasy can shift our moods,” she said.
“I’ve always had a thing for clothes since I was a child. But, as everyone knows, I’ve recently been through some extremely tough times. I suppose I’m spreading my wings a little more these days, owing to wonderful clothing and accessories.”
Dion’s 27th studio album, Courage, was released in 2019. It was inspired by Dion’s own loss and journey through mourning.
To promote the album, she started her first global tour in more than ten years, but the COVID-19 epidemic forced her to postpone the remainder of the trip until 2020. She has continued to cancel plans due to illness since then.
Dion is highly known for her bold sense of style, which she feels is a trait of her personality, in addition to her wonderful voice. “In my opinion, fashion is art.”
“It’s a means of expressing oneself,” she said in a 2019 interview. ” When I put something on, I explore. I’m not taking myself seriously at all. I enjoy stealing a character.”
Even in her newly built Las Vegas home, the “Loved Me Back to Life” singer had a two-story closet made for her “playground.” Furthermore, she continues to promote fashion as a form of self-expression, probably most notably with the 2018 creation of the gender-neutral children’s apparel firm Célinununu.
“It’s about presenting [a] choice and giving youngsters the opportunity to feel free to uncover their own originality, their own true essence without being shackled to stereotypes,” Dion said in an interview. “In my opinion, every child should have their own identity, be free to express themselves, and not feel compelled to conform to society conventions.”
