Celine
Dion has such unique range that she can breathe life into anything she
chooses.
Born
March 30,1968 Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada
She is an
international superstar
and a Canadian national treasure. Although American audiences only
became
aware of Dion's five-octave vocal power in 1991 (she sang mostly in
French
until that point ), she had been winning accolades as a singer since
her
teenage years in her native Canada. Celine is the youngest of 14
children
of a highly musical family. Her parents, both musicians, operated a
small
piano bar, and on weekends, the entire family performed and entertained
the local population.
Dion was introduced to current
manager/husband Rene Angelil via a demo tape sent by her brother
Michel.
According to legend, Angelil was so taken by her ability that he
mortgaged
his home to pay for her first record date.
Through
the 80s she built a
strong following in Canada, but it wasn't until she sang the theme for
Disney's hit animated film "Beauty and the Beast" in 1991 that Dion won
over the masses. She's only become more popular with each successive
album,
with only minor interference -- critical derision, disagreements with
Phil
Spector during the making of her Falling Into You album -- sullying her
rise.
Her
next English-language record,
released in 1992, pushed her success further, but it was her 1993 album
that truly made her a stateside star, featuring the schmaltzy duet
"When
I Fall In Love" from the film "Sleepless in Seattle" and the hit
single,
"Power of Love."
"I
was focused on show business,"
says Dion of her early career. "I was constantly traveling."
"I
can't wait to do the
normal things," she says. "Like just doing your own groceries. Looking
for your own tomatoes. I just can't wait to get up in the morning and
look
awful. I'm looking forward to getting bored." (People)
It
is one of Celine's greatest strengths that she's taken care not just of
herself but of her family too.
Celine
with sister Manon and brother Michael before a show in Tokyo
