If Celine Dion surprised us all during her performance at the last Grammy Gala, the Dion family was part of the secret. “Yes, we knew that! We were waiting for her to come over and of course they reserved her for dessert,” confirms Claudette Dion, who, however, did not appreciate Taylor Swift's attitude towards her famous sister at all.
• Also read: Taylor Swift's slap for Céline
A few days before the ceremony, last February, Celine Dion called her family to announce her comeback to the stage by presenting a Grammy award.
“I didn’t ask who would accompany him. When I saw her on René-Charles' arm, confident, with her little beard, it was really sick! He is an introverted person in life. Although he loves music, he is not someone who expresses himself too much in public. So we know he did it for his mother. He watched her. “A real René Angélil,” adds the diva’s sister, who met Le Journal on Tuesday evening on the red carpet of the comedian Mario Jean’s show.
MARTIN ALARIE / AGENCE QMI / LE JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL
– The Mario Jean Show. – In the photo Claudette Dion – Red carpet and show please. His 7th solo exhibition; celebrates 30 years of career. – Place des Arts, at the Théâtre Maisonneuve, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tuesday, March 5, 2024 PHOTO: MARTIN ALARIE/LE JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL/AGENCE QMI
What did Claudette Dion and her family think about the discomfort caused by the singer Taylor Swift, who snatched the trophy from Céline's hands without even looking at her or thanking her?
“We knew she would win, we let her talent, that has nothing to do with it. But the lack of good manners and attitude, that doesn't happen. Who will give you your trophy? Hello! A little hug maybe, a little thank you? To be honest, it made us sad,” admits Céline’s godmother.
Still, Claudette Dion says it gives her courage to see Céline on stage and looking so good. She assures that her mental health is “truly incredible.”
“We had a little Zoom, we were talking and she said to us, ‘Want me to sing you a song?’ She sang us a little song. “She's really good,” says the woman, who says she trusts research and doctors to find a cure that could help Céline fight her illness (stiff person syndrome).
“Céline deserves it, she gave much more in life than she took,” breathes the one who will be seen next March and April in the tribute show to Édith Piaf, Once Upon a Voice… Piaf becomes.
Photo Amy Sussman/Getty Images via AFP
Mama Dion's legacy
Claudette Dion remembers with great emotion that her mother Dion, who died four years ago, would have been 97 this year.
“I always feel like it's present and alive. She leads me to the foundation. His photo is everywhere and it turns me on, he's a beautiful model,” she explains, shedding a few tears. The artist is also preparing a special Mother's Day show to raise funds to help children from poor families at the beginning of the school year. Which is his own mother's legacy.
On May 5th, at the Montreal Casino, Claudette Dion, together with Paul, Émilie and Dan Daraîche, Natalie Choquette and Rita Tabbakh, will present this show entitled “She Who Taught Me Everything”: the title of a song that Céline gave to her mother Dion .
“I want to end the show with Céline’s video of She Who Taught Me Everything so that all the guests sing with me and Céline for our mother and all the mothers who are our inspirations.”