One of the first defining moments of Céline Dion’s career was when she found out that Pope John II was a fan of hers and wanted to listen to her perform. This recognition helped turn the singer from a popular performer into something a lot more luxurious and renowned. In 1984, Pope John II visited Quebec and Céline got a chance to perform the French National Anthem for him in Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, one of the country’s most beloved landmarks.
Over 65,000 people attended the concert and sang along with the young singer. For Céline Dion, this was also a record-shattering moment because it was the largest audience she had ever sung for by far. To this day, Céline considers her performance for Pope John II to be one of the most exciting and fond memories of her career.
Céline Received Numerous Awards and Recognitions Throughout Her Career
One of the most amazing things about Céline Dion was that her success stretched way beyond just singing. She has received numerous awards for her performance and albums, from winning the Eurovision Song Contest to earning several Grammy Awards. Her impressive list of awards that were not related to singing included receiving two of the highest honors that a Canadian can get, the first being an Officer of the Order of Canada for Outstanding Contribution to the World of Contemporary Music" and the second being "Officer of the National Order of Quebec". She said multiple times that these were some of the highlights of her personal and professional life.
This young girl who came from a poor family of 14 children, also managed to get herself a spot in the Hollywood and Canadian walks of fame, which you can visit next time you’re in either place. Another one of her proudest achievements was an honorary doctorate from Laval University. This was her way of proving to herself that she’s not just a fantastic singer and a great businessman, but also an educated and intelligent woman that she always wanted to be regarded as. All of this happened despite her never even graduating from high-school, which just goes to show you that anything is possible, but more on that later…
René’s Biggest Gamble Was on Céline Dion
René was an avid poker player and even played in the 2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions. He had spent a lot of his life in various forms of gambling, to the point of allegedly gambling up to $1 million on a weekly basis at Caesars Palace and the Bellagio. These events happened later in the talent manager's life, although he had the mindset of a risk taker a long time before that. When René saw Céline perform during her audition, he decided to take the ultimate gamble with her and risk all of his financial assets to help fund her journey to stardom.
In 1981, René made the decision to mortgage his house so that he could provide enough funding for Dion’s first record, La Voix Du Bon Dieu. This risk could have completely wiped him out if it had failed for any reason, but it turns out that it was the best financial move of his entire career. The song became a number one hit in Canada and propelled the singer to national fame. This was the first step of many that would turn her into one of the most popular and successful female singers of all time. Although René was always a gambler in casinos and business, there’s no doubt that his biggest gamble (and biggest reward) was Céline Dion.
Pricey Homes And Multiple Investments
Céline Dion's career turned out to be the most profitable investment that René had ever made. The two made hundreds of millions of dollars over the singer's multiple-decade career. They didn't exactly have to work hard to save money, as they were quite wealthy even by the time they got married. Céline is estimated to be worth about $700 million with some estimating the figure might even be higher. With over 200 million record sales worldwide and super successful performing career, it's no wonder that she's worth almost a billion dollars.
This large amount of money allowed her and husband René to live just about anywhere they wanted. The two decided to live in Florida and bought a home in Jupiter for about $72 million which included three pools, a tennis court, a golf course, and a water park. This extravagant piece of real estate spreads across 5.7 acres and sits right in front of the ocean. It reportedly cost $350,000 annually just in taxes and included 13 bedrooms and 14 full bathrooms. They also own many other pieces of real estate, but this was their favorite and most expensive one to date.
Huge Career Breakthroughs
Céline Dion went from a successful singer to a cultural phenomenon when she released the classic ballad "My Heart Will Go On". The song was written and composed by James Horner and Will Jennings, and ended up becoming the theme song for the iconic 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which featured Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The song became her signature song and got her two Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and the Record of the Year.
Since then, almost everything Céline Dion has done worked out amazingly well, as many of her next albums and singles reached number one in the United States charts. She also had some of the most successful live tours compared to any singer, and all these made for one amazingly successful singing career. Unfortunately, despite being at the top of her career, her husband René was diagnosed with cancer, a fact which she discovered between one of her performance tours. Céline did not let this deter her from performing and doing what she loves, although she did spend a lot more time with her husband until his eventual passing on January 14, 2016, two days before reaching the age of 74.