It has been a while since Céline Dion has topped the charts, but somehow the French Canadian singer is everywhere right now, with two biopics in the works and a bilingual Instagram that is pure fire. She has made the transition from star to living legend, dressing in inspired couture looks that steal the show from the runways at fashion week, while also making for excellent meme content.
At a certain age, society expects women to shrink into the background, but Dion seems to be doing just the opposite. She notoriously hid her private life during her younger years; because of her relationship with her manager-turned-husband who was 26 years her senior and met her when she was 12. But after burying her husband of 18 years, having three children, a 20-year show in Las Vegas that ends this June and earning more than an estimated $700 million over the course of her career, she (rightfully) doesn’t care what anyone thinks and is having a major moment.
When you have reached a certain level of success and have a net worth in the hundreds of millions it would be a shame not to wear the head-to-toe designer looks that mere mortals can only dream of – Dion does not disappoint. A quick scroll through her grid is like a lesson in fashion’s modern masters. She wore the full oversized silhouette from the Marc Jacobs Fall Winter 2018 runway in late February, while she started out the month in a Chanel hat form Karl Lagerfeld’s Métiers d’art 2017 2018 collection. Her latest look for perching on the bathroom sink was from Maria Grazia Chiuri’s 2019 Resort show. She also sports a distinctive traveling wardrobe, like the cashmere leopard sweat suit that she wore on her private jet to Paris.
Between the looks and Dion’s animated facial expression, there has been more than enough material for striking memes, which in today’s world is the highest form of regard. Even her tears go viral, as was the case this Couture season when the songstress cried during the Valentino show because the song reminded her of her late husband.
Aside from her sartorial choices, her social life has been getting quite a bit of press attention – particularly the company she keeps. Since the death of her husband, she has been seen out and about with her backup dancer Pepe Munoz, 34, holding hands and hugging. While many of her counterparts like Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey have had romances with their dancers, Dion says that she is not actually dating him and makes a much-needed point about our isolated culture and how people can share human contact without it meaning anything more. “I don’t mind [the reports] because he’s handsome and he’s my best friend. When I say I am single, please leave me alone,” Dion told the talk show ITV Lorraine. “Of course, we hug and hold hands and go out, so people see that. I mean, he’s giving me his hand to go out.”
Dion is part of a larger wave of female stars that are reinventing their careers from past decades and becoming strong voices on social media. While the Titanic singer is a larger presence on Instagram, with 3 million followers, Cher has solidified her position as the resident female vocalist legend on Twitter with a mix of political commentary and life advice (“don’t chew gum”).
Meanwhile on the big screen, two biopics are in the works for Dion. French actress Valerie Lemercier, will direct The Power of Love while the French studio Gaumont is producing Céline before Céline. Both films, which are scheduled to premiere in 2020, deal with Dion’s early life and rise to fame.
In any case, Céline Dion is proving that she can be relevant for a new generation, all while keeping the accent in her name.