Person
1 episodes · 26 quoted claims
Celine Dion grew up in a hardscrabble Quebec family as the youngest of 14 children, and her parents ran a small cafe piano bar.
“She comes from very hardscrabble family in in Quebec, she's the youngest of 14 kids and her parents were running a little cafe piano bar.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli reviewed Celine Dion's first headlining concert in New York, at Town Hall in 1994.
“until I was dispatched to review her 1st headlining concert in New York. She was in 1994 at Town Hall.”
Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On', from the film Titanic, became a huge worldwide hit in 1997.
“And then, of course, 97, my heart will go on from Titanic, which becomes this kind of like mega the huge hit.”
According to Elisabeth Vincentelli, 1990s reviews of Celine Dion often described her as schmaltzy, bland and loud.
“words that come up a lot in reviews from that time are schmaltzy, bland and loud.”
At the 1998 taping of the first VH1 Divas Live, Celine Dion was perceived by some as trying to upstage Aretha Franklin.
“There's a moment when she's perceived as trying to upstage Aretha Franklin.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli says Celine Dion was the first act of the modern era to have a Las Vegas residency, starting in 2003.
“she's the 1st one in the modern era to have a residency in Vegas.”
In 2008 Celine Dion finished a Las Vegas run and went on tour, including a stop at Madison Square Garden that converted Vincentelli into a fan.
“in 2008, she finishes a run in Vegas and she goes on tour because she's a workaholic.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli says YouTube clips of Celine Dion's talk-show appearances revealed her eccentric personality and helped change her public image.
“Because what starts appearing on YouTube are videos of her appearances on talk shows, for instance.”
Celine Dion's Carpool Karaoke appearance with James Corden, filmed in Las Vegas, included her making fun of Titanic.
“stone cold classic, where she makes fun of Titanic.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli saw Celine Dion perform at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in February 2020, when the audience did not know she was already ill.
“my 3rd time seeing her was in Brooklyn at Barclays Center, uh, in February 2020, I saw that show”
Celine Dion said in a recent interview that she had symptoms for 17 years before her official diagnosis, which led to abrupt cancellations.
“she had had symptoms for 17 years before the official diagnostic, which had been leading to, like, abrupt cancellations and things like that.”
In 2022 Celine Dion announced that she had been diagnosed with a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome.
“And then in 2022, she she makes a very dramatic announcement Hello everyone, that she has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome.”
Stiff person syndrome causes severe muscle stiffness, painful spasms and unsteadiness, and it can affect the vocal cords.
“you get this severe muscle stiffness and and very painful spasms that really kind of lock you and and you become unsteady.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli says stiff person syndrome can be managed but not cured.
“I don't think there's any treatment, you can manage it, but you can't cure it.”
The documentary 'I Am: Celine Dion' was released in June 2024 and was filmed almost entirely in her home.
“So in June 2024, there's a documentary that comes out called I Am Celine Dion, and it's filmed almost entirely in her house.”
Celine Dion appeared at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in July 2024, a month after her documentary was released.
“Flash forward one month, a mere month after the release of the documentary July 2024, the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.”
At the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, Celine Dion sang 'Hymne à l'amour', a song identified with Edith Piaf.
“And she does a song that's everybody in France knows, Hymne à l'amour, identified with Edith Piaf,”
Celine Dion announced a run of shows in Paris in March, at what Elisabeth Vincentelli calls the largest indoor arena in Europe.
“And then nothing really happens until March of this year, when she announces a a string of shows in Paris.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli says Celine Dion's 1995 French-language album is still the biggest-selling French-language album of all time.
“her 1995 AL French album Deux remains to this day the biggest selling French language album of all time.”
Pastry chef Pierre Hermé made a Celine Dion macaron collection, sold at a pop-up shop at Galeries Lafayette in Paris.
“the kind of star pastry chef Pierre Hermé did a a a Celine collection.”
French public radio's daily Noon Debate once asked whether Celine Dion is the greatest singer of all time.
“There's actually on French public radio, there's a daily, uh, debate at noon, it's called the Noon Debate.”
Celine Dion opened her Paris show with 'On ne change pas', and she had to pause singing because she was crying.
“And then we hear the intro to the song called On ne change pas, which means we do not change.”
Dion's Paris set moved from slower songs to faster ones, including Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' merged into 'I'm Alive'.
“I feel loved by Donna Summer, which merged into I'm Alive, which was a great, great segue.”
Celine Dion has said her recovery involved vocal therapy, physical therapy, immunotherapy, Pilates and ballet classes.
“It was a mix of therapies, vocal therapy, physical therapy, she's mentioned immunotherapy, and also regular pilates, ballet classes.”
Elisabeth Vincentelli says Celine Dion's voice has changed from her 1990s sound because of both aging and her illness.
“her voice has changed. This is not the pristine, crystal clear, clarion loud voice of the of the 90s.”
During the Paris run, Celine Dion spent up to an hour at a time greeting fans outside her hotel, including dancing on cars and singing with them.
“she would spend like 30 min to an hour, sometimes, like talking to people, like dancing on top of cars, like singing along with them.”