Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Celine Dion
How Celine Dion built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Céline Dion is a highly successful Canadian singer, often called the "Queen of Power Ballads." Known for her powerful and technically proficient vocals, she has made a substantial impact on popular music through her commercially successful songs and albums. She is one of the best-selling music artists of all time with record sales of over 200 million worldwide.
1965: The Beatles' achievement in the UK charts
In 1965, The Beatles achieved having the number-one album and song in the UK simultaneously for five consecutive weeks, a feat Celine Dion later matched.
August 1973: First Public Performance
On August 13, 1973, Céline Dion performed publicly for the first time at her brother Michel's wedding, singing "Du fil, des aiguilles et du coton".
1981: Angélil Funds First Record
In 1981, René Angélil mortgaged his home to fund Celine Dion's first record, "La voix du bon Dieu", which became a local hit in Quebec.
1981: Start of career
Since her career's inception in 1981, Dion has been cited as an influence by various music artists all over the world.
1982: Yamaha World Popular Song Festival
In 1982, Celine Dion competed in the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, winning the musician's award for "Top Performer" and the gold medal for "Best Song" with "Tellement j'ai d'amour pour toi".
1982: Support for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Since 1982, Celine Dion has supported the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF).
1983: Gold Record in France and Félix Awards
In 1983, Céline Dion became the first Canadian artist to receive a gold record in France for her single "D'amour ou d'amitié". She also won several Félix Awards, including "Best Female Performer" and "Discovery of the Year".
1983: Junior Records Original Song
In 1983, English singer Junior originally recorded the lead single that would appear on Unison.
1985: Original release of 'The Power of Love'
In 1985, Jennifer Rush originally released the song "The Power of Love", which Céline Dion would later remake.
1988: Eurovision Song Contest win
In 1988, Celine Dion's professional relationship with René Angélil turned romantic after her win at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin.
1989: Original Release of 'If You Asked Me To'
In 1989, Patti LaBelle originally released the song "If You Asked Me To", which Celine Dion would later cover.
1989: Vocal Injury and Training
In 1989, during a concert on the Incognito tournée, Céline Dion injured her voice. She chose vocal training with William Riley over immediate surgery.
1990: Billboard reports Celine Dion sold 40 million albums worldwide
In 1990, Billboard reported that Celine Dion had already sold 40 million albums worldwide since her debut English language album.
1990: Establishment of Nickels franchise restaurant
In 1990, Celine Dion established the franchise restaurant Nickels, marking her entry into entrepreneurship.
1990: Debut in Anglophone Market with Unison
In 1990, Céline Dion made her debut into the Anglophone market with the album "Unison", which was influenced by 1980s soft rock music.
1991: Duet on 'Beauty and the Beast'
In 1991, Céline Dion duetted with Peabo Bryson on the title track to Disney's animated film "Beauty and the Beast". This song became her first top-ten hit in the UK and her second in the US.
1991: Featured Soloist on 'Voices That Care'
In 1991, Céline Dion was a featured soloist on "Voices That Care", a tribute to American troops fighting in Operation Desert Storm.
1991: Start of the Neilsen Soundscan era
In 1991, the Neilsen Soundscan era began, during which Celine Dion became the second best-selling female album artist.
1992: Superstardom in North America
By 1992, Céline Dion had achieved superstardom in North America due to the success of Unison, Celine Dion, and numerous media appearances.
1992: Promotion of self-titled album
Celine Dion's self-titled 1992 album was promoted with the slogan "Remember the name because you'll never forget the voice."
1993: National Celebrity Patron for CCFF
In 1993, Celine Dion became the National Celebrity Patron for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF).
1993: Release of "The Colour of My Love"
In 1993, Celine Dion released her album "The Colour of My Love", which ranks within the top 20 best-selling albums.
1994: International Release of Dion chante Plamondon
In 1994, the French album Dion chante Plamondon received an international release, making it the first French Céline Dion album to do so.
1995: Release of D'eux (The French Album)
In 1995, Celine Dion released D'eux, also known as The French Album in the United States. This French-language album, primarily written and produced by Jean-Jacques Goldman, became the best-selling French-language album of all time, featuring successful singles like "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" and "Je sais pas."
1995: Release of D'eux
In 1995, Celine Dion released the album D'eux, which became the best-selling French-language album in history, remaining atop the French Albums chart for 44 weeks.
March 1996: Launch of Falling into You Tour
In March 1996, Celine Dion launched the Falling into You Tour to support her new album, performing concerts around the world for over a year.
July 1996: Performance at 1996 Summer Olympics
In July 1996, Celine Dion performed "The Power of the Dream" at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
1996: World Music Award for World's Best-selling Female Recording Artist of the Year
In 1996, Celine Dion received the World Music Award for "World's Best-selling Female Recording Artist of the Year" for the third time, solidifying her status as one of the world's best-selling artists.
1996: Release of "Falling into You"
In 1996, Celine Dion released her album "Falling into You", which became one of the top five best-selling albums by women in history.
1997: Divestment from Nickels restaurant chain
As of 1997, Celine Dion divested her interests in the Nickels restaurant chain and was no longer affiliated with it.
1997: Release of "My Heart Will Go On"
In 1997, "My Heart Will Go On," the love theme for the blockbuster film Titanic, was released and topped charts worldwide, becoming Celine Dion's signature song. The song earned Horner and Jennings an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and Dion two Grammy Awards.
1997: Release of Let's Talk About Love album
In 1997, Celine Dion followed up Falling into You with Let's Talk About Love, which featured collaborations with artists such as Barbra Streisand, the Bee Gees, Luciano Pavarotti, Carole King, George Martin, Bryan Adams and Diana King.
1997: Release of 'Let's Talk About Love' and 'My Heart Will Go On'
In 1997, Céline Dion released the English-language album "Let's Talk About Love", which became one of the best-selling albums in history. In the same year, she released the song "My Heart Will Go On", the theme for the film Titanic.
1997: Forbes names Dion highest-paid female musician
In 1997, Forbes ranked Céline Dion as the highest-paid female musician of the year.
1997: Contributions to Let's Talk About Love
In 1997, besides her contributions to some of her early French albums, Dion wrote a few of the songs on Let's Talk About Love.
1998: Start of the Let's Talk About Love Tour
In 1998, Celine Dion embarked on the Let's Talk About Love Tour in support of her album. The tour continued through 1999.
1998: Release of These Are Special Times and VH1's Divas Live special
In 1998, Celine Dion released the Christmas album These Are Special Times, featuring orchestral arrangements and the single "I'm Your Angel" (a duet with R. Kelly). She also performed on VH1's Divas Live special with Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain, and Mariah Carey and received two Canadian honors: Officer of the Order of Canada and Officer of the National Order of Quebec.
1998: Contributions to These Are Special Times
In 1998, Dion wrote a few of the songs on These Are Special Times.
1998: Forbes names Dion highest-paid female musician
In 1998, Forbes ranked Céline Dion as the highest-paid female musician of the year.
1999: Let's Talk About Love tour continues
In 1999, Celine Dion continued the Let's Talk About Love Tour in support of her album.
1999: Release of "All the Way... A Decade of Song"
In 1999, Celine Dion released "All the Way... A Decade of Song", which ranks within the top 20 best-selling albums.
1999: Release of All the Way... A Decade of Song and S'il suffisait d'aimer and induction into Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame.
In 1999, Celine Dion released the compilation album All the Way... A Decade of Song, which included hits and new songs like "That's the Way It Is" and the French-language album S'il suffisait d'aimer. She was also inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame and received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
December 2001: Publication of autobiography, My Story, My Dream
In December 2001, Celine Dion published her autobiography, My Story, My Dream, which chronicled her life story.
March 2002: Release of A New Day Has Come album
In March 2002, Celine Dion released A New Day Has Come, marking her return to the music scene after a three-year sabbatical. The album, focusing on motherhood and maturation, debuted at No. 1 in several countries and on the Billboard 200 in the United States.
2002: Announcement of residency show "A New Day..."
In 2002, Celine Dion announced a three-year, 600-show contract for "A New Day..." at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The move was seen as risky but also as a smart business decision. Dion conceived the show after seeing O by Franco Dragone.
2002: Performance on VH1 Divas Live and release of "I'm Alive" on Stuart Little 2 soundtrack
In 2002, Celine Dion performed at VH1 Divas Live, and her song "I'm Alive" was featured on the soundtrack for Stuart Little 2. "A New Day Has Come" peaked at No.22 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
March 2003: Premiere of "A New Day..." show
On March 25, 2003, Celine Dion's show, A New Day..., premiered at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, a 4,000-seat arena designed for the show. Directed by Franco Dragone and choreographed by Mia Michaels, the show combined dance, music, and visual effects and featured Dion performing her hits.
October 2003: Release of 1 fille & 4 types album
In October 2003, Celine Dion released her francophone album 1 fille & 4 types (1 Girl & 4 Guys). The album was labeled "the album of pleasure" by Dion, and its cover showed her in a simple and relaxed manner. It achieved commercial success in France, Canada, and Belgium, reaching No. 1. In France, the album debuted at No. 1 and was certified 2× platinum.
2003: Start of A New Day... residency show
In 2003, Celine Dion began her residency show, A New Day..., at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
2003: Support for "World Children's Day"
In 2003, Celine Dion joined other celebrities to support "World Children's Day", a global fundraising effort sponsored by McDonald's.
2003: Release of One Heart album and endorsement deal with Chrysler
In 2003, Celine Dion released One Heart, an album consisting of pop and dance music, and began an endorsement deal with Chrysler, releasing a cover of "I Drove All Night" as part of the advertising campaign.
2003: Deal with Coty to release Celine Dion Parfums
In 2003, Celine Dion signed a deal with Coty to release Celine Dion Parfums, expanding her entrepreneurial ventures.
2003: Start of A New Day... on the Las Vegas Strip
In 2003, Céline Dion began her Las Vegas residency show, A New Day... on the Las Vegas Strip, which became the highest-grossing concert residency of all time.
October 2004: Partnership with Air Canada
In October 2004, Air Canada hired Celine Dion as part of their promotional campaign to unveil new service products and an updated livery. She sang "You and I", written for Air Canada.
2004: Chopard Diamond Award from the World Music Awards
By 2004, Celine Dion had accumulated sales of more than 175 million albums worldwide. In 2004, she received the Chopard Diamond Award from the World Music Awards for her achievements, an award presented for selling over 100 million albums during an artist's career.
2004: Release of Miracle album
In 2004, Celine Dion released her English-language studio album, Miracle, a multimedia project with photographer Anne Geddes centered on babies and motherhood. The album included lullabies and covers like "What a Wonderful World" and "Beautiful Boy", receiving mixed reviews. Miracle debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 1 in Canada and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
2004: Forbes names Dion highest-paid female musician
In 2004, Forbes ranked Céline Dion as the highest-paid female musician of the year.
2004: Support for Gay Globe Magazine
Since 2004, Celine Dion, alongside her husband René Angélil, has supported the Québec gay community by supporting the publication of health and HIV prevention materials in Gay Globe Magazine.
July 2005: "A New Day..." success in the first half of 2005
In the first half of 2005, Celine Dion's show, "A New Day..." continued to achieve commercial success. By July 2005, Dion had sold out 315 out of 384 shows, and sold 322,000 tickets grossing US $43.9 million.
2006: Forbes names Dion highest-paid female musician
In 2006, Forbes ranked Céline Dion as the highest-paid female musician of the year.
January 2007: Announcement of the end of "A New Day..." show
On January 5, 2007, it was announced that Celine Dion's show "A New Day..." would end on December 15, 2007, with tickets for the period after October 2007 having gone on sale from March 1.
May 2007: Release of D'elles album
On May 21, 2007, Celine Dion released her French-language album D'elles (About Them), which debuted at the top of the Canadian album charts, selling 72,200 copies in its first week. D'Elles also reached No. 1 in France and Belgium. The first single "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" debuted at the top of the French singles chart a month earlier.
October 2007: Tickets on sale for the final shows of "A New Day..."
In October 2007, tickets went on sale for the final shows of Celine Dion's residency, "A New Day...", leading up to its conclusion in December 2007.
December 2007: End of the "A New Day..." show and release of Live in Las Vegas: A New Day... DVD
In December 2007, Celine Dion's show A New Day... concluded after a successful run. On December 10, 2007, the Live in Las Vegas: A New Day... DVD was released in Europe and the following day in North America.
2007: End of A New Day... residency show
In 2007, Celine Dion's residency show A New Day... at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas concluded.
2007: End of A New Day... on the Las Vegas Strip
In 2007, Céline Dion concluded her Las Vegas residency show, A New Day... on the Las Vegas Strip.
2007: Payette pens "Je cherche l'ombre" for Dion's album D'elles
Many years after Dion nearly revealed the relationship, in 2007 journalist Lise Payette penned the song "Je cherche l'ombre" for Celine Dion's album D'elles.
February 2008: Start of the Taking Chances Tour
On February 14, 2008, Celine Dion launched her year-long global Taking Chances Tour in South Africa, performing 132 dates in stadiums and arenas across 5 continents.
August 2008: Free concert on the Plains of Abraham
On August 22, 2008, Celine Dion presented a free outdoor concert, mostly in French, on the Plains of Abraham, for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. The celebration gathered approximately 490,000 people.
October 2008: Worldwide release of My Love: Essential Collection
In late October 2008, Celine Dion's comprehensive English-language greatest hits album, My Love: Essential Collection, was released worldwide.
November 2008: Release of Céline sur les Plaines DVD
On November 11, 2008, the concert called Céline sur les Plaines, from her August performance in Quebec City, was released on DVD in Quebec.
2008: Donation to China Children & Teenagers' Fund
After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Celine Dion donated $100,000 to the China Children & Teenagers' Fund, showing her support.
2008: Honorary Doctorate and Legion of Honour
In 2008, Celine Dion received an honorary doctorate degree in music from Université Laval and was presented with the Legion of Honour by former French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
2008: Taking Chances Tour success and Juno Award nominations
In 2008, Celine Dion's Taking Chances Tour reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Boxscore. She also appeared on Idol Gives Back for a second year and received six Juno Award nominations, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for both Taking Chances and D'elles.
2008: Start of Taking Chances World Tour
In 2008, Céline Dion started the Taking Chances World Tour, which became one of the highest-grossing concert tours of the 2000s.
May 2009: Ranked among the best-selling artists of the decade
In May 2009, Celine Dion was named the 20th best-selling artist of the decade and the second-best-selling female artist of the decade in the United States, selling an estimated 17.57 million copies of her albums there since 2000.
May 2009: Release of Céline sur les Plaines DVD in France
On May 20, 2009, the concert called Céline sur les Plaines, from her August performance in Quebec City, was released on DVD in France.
June 2009: Forbes reports $100 million earnings in 2008
In June 2009, Forbes reported that Celine Dion earned $100 million during 2008, highlighting her financial success.
December 2009: Named "Artist of the Decade" in Quebec
In December 2009, Celine Dion was named "Artist of the Decade" in Quebec by Le Journal de Québec, based on a public online survey.
December 2009: Highest-grossing solo live music act in North America
In December 2009, Pollstar announced that Celine Dion was the highest-grossing solo live music act in North America of the decade, grossing $522.2 million, largely from her residency at Caesars Palace.
2009: Support for Millvina Dean
In 2009, Celine Dion joined an effort with Leonardo DiCaprio, James Cameron, and Kate Winslet to donate money to support the nursing home fees of Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the sinking of the Titanic.
2009: End of Taking Chances World Tour
In 2009, Céline Dion concluded the Taking Chances World Tour.
January 2010: Top earner of the decade
In January 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that Celine Dion was the top earner of the decade, with $747.9 million in total revenue from 2000 to 2009, primarily from ticket sales.
February 2010: Announcement of return to Caesars Palace for Celine residency
In February 2010, Celine Dion announced she would be returning to Caesars Palace for Celine, a three-year residency for seventy shows a year, beginning 15 March 2011, featuring songs from her repertoire and classic Hollywood films.
February 2010: Release of Celine: Through the Eyes of the World documentary and Grammy Awards Performance
In February 2010, Celine Dion released the documentary film Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, showcasing behind-the-scenes footage from her Taking Chances Tour. At the 52nd Grammy Awards, Celine Dion also performed "Earth Song" during the Michael Jackson tribute.
May 2010: Most popular musician in the United States
In May 2010, a Harris Poll named Celine Dion the most popular musician in the United States, ahead of artists like U2, Elvis Presley, and The Beatles.
May 2010: Release of Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert on Blu-ray and DVD
On May 4, 2010, Celine Dion released the Blu-ray and DVD of Taking Chances World Tour: The Concert, along with the CD/DVD.
September 2010: Release of "Voler" duet with Michel Sardou
In September 2010, Celine Dion released the single "Voler", a duet with French singer Michel Sardou, which was later included on Sardou's album.
October 2010: Composed a new song for Marc Dupré
In October 2010, it was announced that Celine Dion wrote and composed a new song for Canadian singer Marc Dupré, entitled "Entre deux mondes".
March 2011: Beginning of Celine residency at Caesars Palace
On March 15, 2011, Celine Dion began her Celine residency at Caesars Palace, featuring songs from her repertoire and classic Hollywood films.
September 2011: Release of Signature fragrance
In September 2011, Celine Dion released her fragrance, Signature, with an advertising campaign by Kraftworks NYC.
2011: Start of Celine residency show
In 2011, Celine Dion began her second residency show, titled Celine, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
May 2012: Recording of new English and French albums
In May 2012, Celine Dion began recording songs for her next English and French albums.
2012: Performance at the 16th Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica
In 2012, Celine Dion performed at the 16th Jazz and Blues Festival in Jamaica, adding another performance to her career.
November 2013: Postponement of English-language album and release of Loved Me Back to Life
In November 2013, Celine Dion's English-language album was released after being postponed. Titled Loved Me Back to Life, it included collaborations with Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder. Dion also embarked on the Sans attendre Tour in November 2013, performing in Belgium and France.
2013: Companion of the Order of Canada
In 2013, Celine Dion was elevated to the Companion of the Order of Canada by the governor general of Canada, David Johnston, recognizing her cultural contributions.
August 2014: Postponement of show business activities
On August 13, 2014, Celine Dion announced the indefinite postponement of all her show business activities, including her concert residency at Caesars Palace, and the cancellation of her Asia Tour due to her husband's worsening health.
March 2015: Announcement of return to Caesars Palace
On March 20, 2015, Celine Dion announced her return to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in late August 2015.
August 2015: Return to Colosseum at Caesars Palace
In late August 2015, Celine Dion returned to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
October 2015: Announcement of new French album
In October 2015, Celine Dion announced on social media that she had begun working on a new French album, with a photo alongside Algerian singer Zaho.
2015: "Voices" show presentation end date
The "Voices" show co-produced by Celine Dion in June 2013 was presented 145 times up until 2015.
March 2017: Recording of "How Does a Moment Last Forever"
In March 2017, Celine Dion recorded "How Does a Moment Last Forever" for the Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
August 2018: Asia-Pacific tour
From June to August 2018, Celine Dion toured the Asia-Pacific region, grossing $56.5 million from 22 shows.
September 2018: Announcement of end of Las Vegas residency
On September 24, 2018, Celine Dion announced the end of her Las Vegas residency Celine, with the final date set for June 8, 2019. She also started working on a new English album.
November 2018: Launch of Celinununu clothing line
In November 2018, Celine Dion launched Celinununu, a gender-neutral clothing line for kids.
January 2019: Performance at Aretha Franklin tribute concert
In January 2019, Celine Dion performed "A Change Is Gonna Come" at Aretha Franklin's tribute concert, 'Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul'.
March 2019: Participation in supergroup recording of Renée Claude's single
Also in March 2019, Celine Dion was one of 11 singers from Quebec who participated in a supergroup recording of Renée Claude's 1971 single "Tu trouveras la paix" after Claude's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease was announced.
April 2019: Announcement of Courage World Tour and new album
On April 3, 2019, during a Facebook Live event, Celine Dion announced her 2019/2020 Courage World Tour, beginning in Quebec City on September 18, 2019. She also announced a new English-language album of the same name, to be released in November 2019.
September 2019: Start of Courage World Tour
The Courage World Tour began in Quebec City on September 18, 2019. Celine Dion announced her 2019/2020 Courage World Tour, beginning in Quebec City on September 18, 2019.
2019: End of Celine residency show
In 2019, Celine Dion's second residency show, titled Celine, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas concluded.
February 2020: Release of Spotify Singles
On February 26, 2020, Celine Dion released two songs as exclusive Spotify singles: an acoustic version of "Imperfections", and a cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game". Isaak joined Dion and sang vocals on the track.
June 2020: Announcement of Courage World Tour Resumption
On June 10, 2020, Celine Dion announced her Courage World Tour would kick off again in 2021, after the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2021: Return to Las Vegas Announcement
On May 21, 2021, it was announced Celine Dion would return to Las Vegas in November of the same year for a limited-run installment of ten dates in collaboration with Resorts World Las Vegas.
2021: Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music
In 2021, Celine Dion received an honorary doctorate degree in music from Berklee College of Music, adding to her academic accolades.
January 2022: Cancellation of North American tour dates
On January 15, 2022, Celine Dion canceled her North American tour dates because of severe muscle spasms.
2023: Acting appearance in Love Again
In 2023, Celine Dion starred as herself in Love Again, her first acting appearance in a feature film. She also recorded five new songs for the soundtrack, released on 12 May.
2024: Forbes Net Worth Report and Residency
In 2024, Forbes reported Celine Dion's net worth at US$550 million, ranking her no. 59 on America's Richest Self-Made Women list. As of 2024, Celine Dion resides in a house in Henderson, Nevada.
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