One of the main reasons we love to listen to our favorite musicians is because they have their way of profoundly touching our souls and connecting with us on an emotional level. It turns out that René Angélil and Céline Dion were perfect matches right from the beginning. When recalling the experience of the audition, Céline said in an interview: “While I was singing, he [René] started to cry,” she said. “I knew then I had done a good job.”
It didn’t take long for the talent manager to make his decision, and Céline left the studio with a contract in her hand. He knew that she was going to become an incredible star, and wanted to take the most active part in her success he could possibly have. Céline was still very young at the time and couldn’t even speak English, so René knew that they were facing a long and challenging journey. Still, the two were committed right from the start which proved to be quite prophetic as they actually lived together until the end of René’s life.
She Began Singing When in a Bar At Age Five
By the time Céline Dion reached five years of age, she had had three distinct events that would shape the rest of her life. First was her near-death experience, where she was almost killed by a truck and put into a 7-day coma. This accident taught her just how precious life is, and why it’s important to not waste a single day. Her second experience was singing at her brother’s wedding to raving applause, which showed her just how talented she was. Finally, the third adventure was singing at the family’s owned piano bar, Le Vieux Baril. This bar was the perfect place for the Dion family to enjoy music and let their kids perform and practice their musical abilities. It’s located in Charlemagne, Quebec, which is a mostly French-speaking part of Canada.
When Dion began to perform in the bar, she immediately became a favorite of the patrons and they always wanted to hear her sing. This was even further proof for her that she had a true gift. Céline knew that if she could make strangers love her singing, the world was going to become her oyster. She ended up growing into one of the most famous and successful singers on earth, and much of that can be traced back to these three distinct and amazing life experiences that shaped our amazing Céline Dion.
Her Audition Was Far From Normal
When René Angélil invited Céline for an audition, he was still skeptical even though he had already heard her amazing voice. Becoming a successful and best-selling singer isn’t just about sounding good, it also has just as much to do with the singer’s looks, personality, and on-stage charisma. This is why when the young singer’s audition finally took place, the veteran talent manager made sure to give her a proper challenge.
René asked Céline to grab a pencil and use it as a pretend microphone. He told her: “Here’s your microphone. Now sing as though you were in front of a sellout audience.” Based on the story that the two loved to tell, Céline absolutely dazzled the manager with her performance and confidence, which turned him into an instant fan for life, and probably made him fall in love with her that very same day.
Céline’s First Musical Breakthrough Was Also the Catalyst For Her Marriage
Céline definitely had a tough childhood. She lived in a very poor home with many financial difficulties and was often mocked by her fellow classmates and called “vampire” for having a skinny and bony facial structure. Her family was always oriented towards music, which was definitely a great boost to her initial attempts at getting into the music industry. Her mother and brother, Jacques, even wrote and composed a song that Céline would later perform. This was about the time that she wanted to start getting into music professionally, but had no real prospects to start with.
Céline’s mother, Thérèse Tanguay Dion, recognized her immense musical talents and took a lot of effort to help introduce her to as many potential producers and managers in the hopes that someone will pick her up and get her running. The young singer was clearly a talented vocalist from a very young age, which made it hard for prospects to ignore her talents. She was eventually discovered by a successful music producer and talent manager who offered her a chance to prove herself, which she gladly accepted with the help of her mother. This producer, who ended up becoming her manager, was none other than René Angélil, the man who would later marry Céline and spend the rest of his life with her.
Céline’s Mother Was Her Biggest Promoter and Supporter
Céline’s mother, Thérèse Tanguay Dion, was the first person to truly see her amazing vocal abilities and the potential she had to become one of the greatest singers of the generations. She knew immediately after hearing her daughter sing that the combination of her incredible looks, sweet personality and excellent voicework would end up setting the ground for an incredible singing career. She never pressured Céline into studying or getting a job, since it was clear as day that her daughter was going to become a tremendously successful singer.
Thérèse sent a demo of Céline's voice to René Angélil, who showed an interest in the young girl, and added a note saying: “This is a 12-year-old with a fantastic voice. Please listen to her. We want her to be like Ginette Reno.” Unfortunately, this did not catch the talent manager’s attention as any fan of American Idol can already imagine just how many demos a successful music producer receives from delusional parents who think their kids are going to be the next big thing when they’re actually just terrible singers. One of Céline’s brothers saw that things weren’t progressing with René, so he gave the manager a call and convinced him to listen to the demo, and once he did, she was immediately scheduled for an audition with him.