Is Celine Dion getting the respect she deserves?

[peanut91]

So, Off course to everyone here, she is the best, but to the rest of the world i ask this:

 

Why is that when one mentions Celine Dion's name, or the fact that you listen to her, people often give you that weird, but silent stare. I always find myself explaining that "I don't see why i shouldn't", then i end up explaining how famous she is, what she's done that i end up sounding like a crazy fan lol. I also know that from watching certain celebrities when asked about celine dion performing that night, they get a weird look about it. My personal opinion is, i don't see a reason why i should not listen to celine? i feel that because of the 90s, people do not want to listen to her, that they feel she can't achieve anymore then what she already has, which i think is total BS... I feel that she's been holding back her voice a lot and just riding the wave, so to speak, so what do everyone else thing?

[dj_a_rock]

I think she does. When I tell my friends about her, they find her boring or not cool because all they know is she is old. But one thing they cannot deny is that she's got the best voice in the world. They can say they dont like her but they cannot say her voice is crap. Edited December 25, 2013 by dj_a_rock

[Xpresso]

I think it's because she was just too popular at one point, she was everywhere, very succesful and overplayed on the radio (MHWGO)... When singers get a MONSTER hit, people start hating them...

[Prima_Donna1]

Does Celine get the respect she deserves yes and no.... Celine is respected for her voice, as a diva, and how long she has been in the industry. But because of MHWGO and ppls beliefs that all she sings is ballads than other things she doesnt get much respect. Sad. I would say more but I am on my phone sothat is all I am saying tho I will say that she gets respect in one area, and in another she doesnt.

[eduardomolina]

Yes. For example in Brazil, where I live almost everyone knows her, mostly because of (MHWGO, To love you more, Immortality, because you loved me and All by myself). But she is more respected because she is considered a "diva" and because of her voice. But you know what? I´m happy because the "not so high" sales are because of other things (Sony and maybe even Celine and Rene). They are more interested in the success of the show in Las Vegas than the albums. They have realized that the the audience is full even if the lack of new material (6 years without english albums)!

[LukeD]

Celine is overrated by her fans and underrated by haters, but this happens with almost every singer out there. Majority of people will have something nice to say about her voice which is all that matters. It is part of her English material, dramatic facial expressions on stage and awkward moments in interviews that alienate people and make her come off as un-cool. I still think she is a really nice person most people could hang out with. Edited December 25, 2013 by LukeD

[Javito]

Yes and no. I think the general public (not the hardcore fans like us) respect and know her for what she's achieved in the 90's. But from 2003 and on, very few people know what she's done except 2 major shows in Las Vegas. So people respects her, but they always go back to her colossal momentum between 1997 and 2000. Musically speaking, the decade between 2003 and 2013 is hardly known for them, its as if her career stopped in 2003 and they barely have a clue of what she's done in all these years

[Lu CelineFan]

Don´t get concerned. It´s the same that ask people if they like caviar.

[Lu CelineFan]

in Brazil almost everyone knows her

 

Sorry but I have to disagree with you. Maybe in your social environment, but "everyone" is a lot of diverse people.

[Prima_Donna1]

 

 

Sorry but I have to disagree with you. Maybe in your social environment, but "everyone" is a lot of diverse people.

So you don't think she respected in brasil? Just want your point of view.

[Your_Su_Phu]

Most artists have a career peak and fall. I think it's naive that a lot of people on here seem to assume that it's always a case of career mismanagement or even that quality has to correlate with commercial success

 

There is such a thing as oversaturation in the general public's eyes

 

Which isn't to say that Celine's career hasn't been mismanaged in some respects but...life is rarely perfect. Celine's life and career are already so much closer to a fairytale than most people's...I don't think she loses sleep at night over how the wrong single was released from her last English studio album

 

Celine is an extremely polarizing figure in the music industry and even to the general public, but overall I'd say that to the average person she is acclaimed for her voice...even if critics may hesitate to admit it. In terms of respect, I think Celine belongs to a group of artists who end up being re-evaluated decades after their career peak. Think Abba, the Bee Gees, etc. Which means...maybe 10-15 years from now she'll finally get the respect she deserves

 

Goddammit I'm sick on Christmas :'(

Edited December 25, 2013 by Your_Su_Phu

[Katie]

Celine is overrated by her fans

 

Sorry to disagree, could u cité any one in show biz that has accomplished as much as she's done over these last 35 years?

[DionFanAlways]

Don´t get concerned. It´s the same that ask people if they like caviar.

[DionFanAlways]

Most artists have a career peak and fall. I think it's naive that a lot of people on here seem to assume that it's always a case of career mismanagement or even that quality has to correlate with commercial success

 

There is such a thing as oversaturation in the general public's eyes

 

Which isn't to say that Celine's career hasn't been mismanaged in some respects but...life is rarely perfect. Celine's life and career are already so much closer to a fairytale than most people's...I don't think she loses sleep at night over how the wrong single was released from her last English studio album

 

Celine is an extremely polarizing figure in the music industry and even to the general public, but overall I'd say that to the average person she is acclaimed for her voice...even if critics may hesitate to admit it. In terms of respect, I think Celine belongs to a group of artists who end up being re-evaluated decades after their career peak. Think Abba, the Bee Gees, etc. Which means...maybe 10-15 years from now she'll finally get the respect she deserves

 

Goddammit I'm sick on Christmas :'(

Good post!

Hope you feel better

[Leanne]

by her fans, yes. Most people in showbusiness.. yes.

 

But some radio stations.. NO!! There were some DJ's here in Holland who didn't have listened her new single Loved Me Back To Life yet but they won't play it anyway. They just told that on the radio! they hoped the single wouldn't get into the Itunes top 10 because they they have to play the song then. It was awful to hear that :'(

They just don't play the songs because Celine's name is on it. She's not cool. But if Rihanna would sing the same song, it would have been a great hit. :S

Radio is ignoring Celine completely and I think that's not respectful! Hate it.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Leanne

[Lu CelineFan]

So you don't think she respected in brasil? Just want your point of view.

 

She is. But mostly by fans and musicians. The vast majority of the population does not even know her

[LukeD]

Sorry to disagree, could u cité any one in show biz that has accomplished as much as she's done over these last 35 years?

I was not talking about her commercial success.

[LukeD]

She is. But mostly by fans and musicians. The vast majority of the population does not even know her

How is this possible? LTAL sold 1m copies there and FIY 800k, huge sales for an international singer. She also scored hits during the 90s..!

[LukeD]

Yes and no. I think the general public (not the hardcore fans like us) respect and know her for what she's achieved in the 90's. But from 2003 and on, very few people know what she's done except 2 major shows in Las Vegas. So people respects her, but they always go back to her colossal momentum between 1997 and 2000. Musically speaking, the decade between 2003 and 2013 is hardly known for them, its as if her career stopped in 2003 and they barely have a clue of what she's done in all these years

I can't believe you managed to correlate this to her Vegas residency!

[Neddo]

I think that many songs from 2002 ownards are underrated. They wouldn't be if they would actually change her setlists and label released those songs as singles. Celine took chances many times and she never got any of those chances promoted( except TC single). One Heart is sounding more fresh than LTAL or FIY because it's fun and sexy. Taking Chances got mixed-positive reviews because of it's title. Sans attendre conveys personality not found in overrated diva like Beyonce. Beyonce is a credit stealer unlike Celine which is brave to admit that her career depends on the song she earns by proving her voice and personality.

 

It's easy to conclude that Celine is a power ballad singer but that doesn't mean she falters in other genres. Most of her hits are ballads which I kindly consider over produced. Celine wants to try new things like jazz and electro stuff. Not duets or christmas. I just wish once that fans would inspire Celine to add modern songs like LMBTL or beautiful Paganini. I think that Celine would like to have teen fans and she would like to find another core audience where she could introduce herself. Her label underrates her voice and talent and her versatility but they target AC radios because they know that albums won't flop.

 

I'm not saying that Celine needs Hung Up, Dirrty, Wrecking Ball reinvention but she needs a Ray Of Light kinda era. If she wants to introduce herself to '10's she should make album that it's darker, more versatile, more emotional, joyful with lyrics inspired by her french discography. Something that would show her true and full bravery unlike "modernising" her drained out ballad sounds. She should follow her heart and make acoustic tour and jazz album because she feels both bravery and comfort.

 

Celine should follow herself and she should kindly give her kids to a babysitter few months so that she could make her wishes come true.

[Javito]

I can't believe you managed to correlate this to her Vegas residency!

 

Because that's how she is introduced today when she goes to TV or gives an interview: "here's with us Celine Dion, who has released a new album "after her 5 year sold out show in Las Vegas, and now she continues with a new show there"... That's what they mention. Unfortunately, they don't say "Celine Dion, whose latest album sold X million copies or whose latest single spent XX weeks in #1" Vegas is what people knows about her in this decade.

[CelinesDIVO5]

Because that's how she is introduced today when she goes to TV or gives an interview: "here's with us Celine Dion, who has released a new album "after her 5 year sold out show in Las Vegas, and now she continues with a new show there"... That's what they mention. Unfortunately, they don't say "Celine Dion, whose latest album sold X million copies or whose latest single spent XX weeks in #1" Vegas is what people knows about her in this decade.

 

Because it was a huge feat! Celine broke records in Vegas. She set the tone for other performers to go there. She sold a 3000 seat theater out just about EVERY NIGHT for 5 YEARS!! That is an unprecedented run!!! This is where her credit lies for the moment. People still say "WOW" when they hear she sold out for 5 years straight. Sorry, but a sold out run definitely trumps her single "I Drove All Night" peaking at #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. ANDHC was her comeback. People were interested. Then she did her record breaking Vegas show. It's not that people don't know about anything she's done aside from Vegas...it's just not generally interesting to the public to hear about an artist (who isn't played in the mainstream radio anymore) releasing an album. If she were to miraculously have another comeback, it would be a different story. We'll hear about Celine's albums while she's promoting them, same thing with Barbra, or Cher. Their 'hey days' are over now.

[manilou]

Let's don't get carried away. She is great and I really love her music, but she hasn't done anything special for the development of music. She is a great singer with good songs who sold a shitload of records (mostly because she was popular during a period when a lot of Cds were sold).

[Javito]

Because it was a huge feat! Celine broke records in Vegas. She set the tone for other performers to go there. She sold a 3000 seat theater out just about EVERY NIGHT for 5 YEARS!! That is an unprecedented run!!! This is where her credit lies for the moment. People still say "WOW" when they hear she sold out for 5 years straight. Sorry, but a sold out run definitely trumps her single "I Drove All Night" peaking at #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. ANDHC was her comeback. People were interested. Then she did her record breaking Vegas show. It's not that people don't know about anything she's done aside from Vegas...it's just not generally interesting to the public to hear about an artist (who isn't played in the mainstream radio anymore) releasing an album. If she were to miraculously have another comeback, it would be a different story. We'll hear about Celine's albums while she's promoting them, same thing with Barbra, or Cher. Their 'hey days' are over now.

 

How is that, how that works? Because I'm not sure I understand... So "her days" as a performing artist are still living on, but "her days" as a recording artist with an international career in the music industry are over, right? I may agree with that. That's how I see it. An artist who is mainly focused on her performing career, and is leaving behind her recording career in the business

 

But dear, if "her days" with music albums and radios are over, it's only because she wanted to and let that happen. No one forced her to step aside from that road, she alone decided to focus on her marathonian shows in Las Vegas back in 2003, and neglect her recording career as an artist. So if "her days" as a recording singer who could have had successful albums at the same time as she performed successful concerts are over, its just because she wanted it to happen.

 

Also, "Loved Me Back To Life" could have been another comeback album. She's been 6 years away from the music industry and without a new english single. How could you not say this was a comeback to the international market of music? In fact, it could have been bigger than ANDHC, if only they had wanted it (and with a much better album of course).

 

Please, you excuse so much Céline's lack of success in the international market hiding behind radios or the change in the music industry; that's true only to a certain point. Many artists have adapted to that change already! And you forget some very important facts, which were key facts for her return with LMBTL:

 

1) She spent 6 years without any new english release. For an artist who has been spoiling the public with one new album almost every year or two, that has been an ETERNITY to wait. And in the music industry a 6 years gap between one album and the next one is more than enough time for people to FORGET you.

 

2) She has placed Vegas before her albums and their respective promotions over and over again in the past. Each new album she released since 2002, the lesser promotion it received. She gave preference to Vegas in her professional career, it was her choice. So don't expect a bed or roses when you have been neglecting your new albums since 2003 and you have taken 6 years to put out a new english single in the market It's not only a problem of radios and the drastic change in the music business, in Céline's case, it's been more a problem of her attitude towards her music and the IMPORTANCE she's given to her albums (which has been little to none according to the number of songs from her 2002-2007 albums she performs in her concerts )...

Edited December 25, 2013 by Javito

[Bell]

I think people know she's big but tend to find her a bit boring because she's famous mainly for all the same love ballads. Non-fans don't know that Celine's done much more than just (boring) ballads.

[Your_Su_Phu]

Let's don't get carried away. She is great and I really love her music, but she hasn't done anything special for the development of music. She is a great singer with good songs who sold a shitload of records (mostly because she was popular during a period when a lot of Cds were sold).

 

I don't get your point here? Celine has always been lacking artistically (doesn't write her own songs, has been known to do karaoke covers, and is pretty "safe" musically for most of her English career - even though she has tried different genres they are usually pop-infused rather than authentic forays), this doesn't mean she hasn't had any musical influence or impact, even if it's not immense. Interestingly, the most influential thing she's ever done was the Vegas residency, thus far. We may see more of her legacy in the coming decades.

 

Doesn't a great vocalist who inspired singers of a younger generation, and who is approaching 30 years into a global career deserve respect on that basis alone - even if she isn't the most innovative or artistically involved artist?

 

Someone like Adele is a good singer-songwriter (well..cowriter) and also sold a shitton of records. But what did she do that was so much more special than Celine besides do a throwback *cough ripoff* to classic american genres, singing styles and write cliched breakup songs? Songwriters are a dime a dozen. It's not what makes an artist great imo if the quality of their work is nothing special. But some people would be quick to inflate her legacy just because they deem her to be more of an "artist". Some of the most influential artists ever weren't primarily songwriters (Aretha Franklin wrote some songs, but not the majority of her catalog, and she is one of the most influential vocalists of the 2nd half of the 20th century).

 

Basically my point is that while I concede that Celine isn't among the most influential or artistically competent artists of her generation, her impact is indeed underrated by critics because she's always been derided. Mark my words, she has longevity, and she will experience a re-evaluation by critics at large for her legacy, as has happened with many artists through the decades. It has already begun to happen due to the work of people like Canadian writer Carl Wilson.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Your_Su_Phu

[CelinesDIVO5]

How is that, how that works? Because I'm not sure I understand... So "her days" as a performing artist are still living on, but "her days" as a recording artist with an international career in the music industry are over, right? I may agree with that. That's how I see it. An artist who is mainly focused on her performing career, and is leaving behind her recording career in the business

 

But dear, if "her days" with music albums and radios are over, it's only because she wanted to and let that happen. No one forced her to step aside from that road, she alone decided to focus on her marathonian shows in Las Vegas back in 2003, and neglect her recording career as an artist. So if "her days" as a recording singer who could have had successful albums at the same time as she performed successful concerts are over, its just because she wanted it to happen.

 

Also, "Loved Me Back To Life" could have been another comeback album. She's been 6 years away from the music industry and without a new english single. How could you not say this was a comeback to the international market of music? In fact, it could have been bigger than ANDHC, if only they had wanted it (and with a much better album of course).

 

Please, you excuse so much Céline's lack of success in the international market hiding behind radios or the change in the music industry; that's true only to a certain point. Many artists have adapted to that change already! And you forget some very important facts, which were key facts for her return with LMBTL:

 

1) She spent 6 years without any new english release. For an artist who has been spoiling the public with one new album almost every year or two, that has been an ETERNITY to wait. And in the music industry a 6 years gap between one album and the next one is more than enough time for people to FORGET you.

 

2) She has placed Vegas before her albums and their respective promotions over and over again in the past. Each new album she released since 2002, the lesser promotion it received. She gave preference to Vegas in her professional career, it was her choice. So don't expect a bed or roses when you have been neglecting your new albums since 2003 and you have taken 6 years to put out a new english single in the market It's not only a problem of radios and the drastic change in the music business, in Céline's case, it's been more a problem of her attitude towards her music and the IMPORTANCE she's given to her albums (which has been little to none according to the number of songs from her 2002-2007 albums she performs in her concerts )...

 

It's also because she had her height of popularity already. And the music industry has changed immensely. If Cher had tried to come back after 1999/2000, I don't think it would have happened. She caught the tail end of the Diva brigade of the 90's and was able to revive her popularity with a younger generation. The day of the diva is over. It's all about hip hop and bubblegum pop these days. You want Celine's career to be handled and executed the same way it was in the 90's, but it won't happen. She is not in that kind of demand anymore. This happens to every artist. They start out, they get their name heard, they then explode with popularity, and then the popularity fizzles out. The demand is no longer there. People's tastes change. She hasn't put out albums yearly since 2004. After Miracle, it was "Delles" in 2007. Every time you bring up this argument of "annual albums" you make it sound like she's been doing it right up until "Taking Chances" (compilations and greatest hits collections do not count). But the fact of the matter is, Celine has made her career. People respect her for her talent. She has her ENORMOUS fan base, but just like every other artist, people will still turn to what's current in the music business. There's nothing that can be done about that. This is no longer the 1996-1999 era. It's not because Celine has "chosen" not to be popular anymore. She didn't choose to have radio stop playing her. That started to happene when she took her first break. "That's The Way It Is" was her last enormous top 40 success. "I Want You To Need Me" TANKED on the radio. People were just kind of over her. "ANDHC" was an anticipated release and comeback because she was one of the top selling artists of all time that went out during the height of her career. It was only a 2 year break, so she was still fresh in a lot of people's minds. But the song itself peaked at 22. Which is still very good, but wasn't a top 20 single. "I'm Alive" didn't even crack the Hot 100. This is just what happens. And it will happen to Beyonce, and Gaga, and Katy Perry as well.

[Bell]

As for how other music artists accept Celine, I think most of them give her the respect she deserves.

[LukeD]

Let's don't get carried away. She is great and I really love her music, but she hasn't done anything special for the development of music. She is a great singer with good songs who sold a shitload of records (mostly because she was popular during a period when a lot of Cds were sold).

Objectively, she is more than that. First of all, a good portion of singers cite Celine as a major vocal influence, some singers even look up to her as a person. Second, her impeccable success in Las Vegas led to an unprecedented financial impact and as a result she paved the way for other performers to go for residency shows. Third, she still stands as the greatest representative (of her generation) of francophone music on a global scale. Also, you don't have to 'change' anything in the music scene in order to be influential and have an impact.

[Xpresso]

I think it was smart to wait 6 years for her new album!! The general public was sick of hearing Celine all the time. So she had to disappear for some time. And I agree that her peak has passed and she is fully aware of it. And so is René. That's why René played the Vegas card (even if I'm not the biggest Vegas fan). He knew what was coming...