Real name:
Celine Marie Claudette Dion
Born: 30 March 1968, Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada
Hailing from the small town of Charlemagne, Quebec, Celine Dion has become one of the all-time greatest singers. Celine 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, Celine 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 Rene Angelil, a respected manager. Angelil believed in Celine so much that he actually mortgaged his house in order to finance her debut album. Already very popular and successful internationally, Celine 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 Celine 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, Celine began a three-year commitment to perform in an arena built for her in Las Vegas.
Trivia:
1998: Honored by two governments in two days: on April 30 her home province of Quebec awarded her the Ordre National du Quebec, and on 1 May, she became an Officer of the Order of Canada.
25 January 2001: Son Rene-Charles Angelil born. Father is husband Rene Angelil.
She first met her future husband Rene Angelil when she was 12 and he was 38.
She has homes in Las Vegas and in Laval & Terrebonne, (located in the Province of Quebec), Canada.
Husband mortgaged his house to fund Celine's first album when she was an unknown 12-year-old.
Her favorite songs are "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival, "The Show Must Go On" by Queen, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" by Elton John, "Me And Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin, "Why?" by Annie Lennox, "It Was A Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra, "Home" by Michael Buble, "Purple Rain" by Prince, "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder and "Riders On The Storm" by The Doors. (Source: BBC Radio 2 "Tracks of My Years").
Quotes:
"For me, singing was real life, not two plus two equals four."
"I'm not trying to be a nice girl, but it's me. I'm not afraid to be nice."
She and Madonna share the same French-Canadian heritage through a common ancestor, Zacharie Cloutier.
Was in talks to star alongside Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in Runaway Bride (1999).
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