I remember, as a young boy, I was fond of playing around with my Uncle Nathan’s cassettes, and one day I stumbled across one cassette titled Céline Dion. The album must have been The Colour of My Love. My dad was more of a country and western listener. I would play the cassette on my dad’s big boombox, which, at the time, was just at the threshold of being rendered useless—waiting to be stashed in a box somewhere to gather dust.
Well, Céline Dion caught my attention so fast, and I must admit I was somewhere in the prime age of about ten or so. It didn’t help that my cousin Mercy was also a big fan of hers, and we would spend time during the holidays rewinding the cassettes over and over again using a Bic biro pen as she did laundry. At the time, my favourite was To Love You More, but as time went by, I was exhilarated by Immortality. I even had a CD and could watch the video on repeat, loving the gothic, mysterious touch that the Bee Gees added to it.
It wouldn’t be until later that I was able to understand the whole story surrounding Titanic, and for a long time again, I was hooked on My Heart Will Go On. At some point, however, I was going through romance-related episodes, and I would yet again listen to Call the Man without stopping—especially the line “who deals in love beyond repair” would strike a special chord. Perhaps it was due to the enormity of what looked to me like brokenness, and the need for some stability amid the chaos and confusion. Interestingly, Maina Kageni, a well-known radio presenter, once mentioned that Céline Dion actually toured the Alliance Française in Nairobi in the 1980s—long before she took over the world stage.
For me, Céline Dion represents the timeless touch of beauty in music. As a person drawn to slow beats, reflective lyrics, and less exaggerated visual elements, her work resonates deeply. I haven’t encountered many men who listen to her religiously as I do, but this has never made me shy away from proudly being her fan. In a world that is too loud, Céline Dion’s music offers a refreshing experience, and once again proves that one can encounter music as a healing companion—truly, A New Day Has Come.
She was recently diagnosed with stiff person’s syndrome, which she explains in the documentary I Am: Céline Dion, and yet she says, “I love my life and every piece of it.” What a remarkable way to stay positive. Her voice is her conduit to the world—her trademark, if you will—and now, with the illness, she struggles to strike those chords and pitches. Her life is one of constant positivity, and after losing her husband René, she seemed to enter a period of mourning. While fans noted with concern how she had lost weight, she explained that she had been practicing dancing.
I love hearing from people who, despite adversity, still find a way to rise—and Céline Dion is one of them. I treasure her as a loyal fan who started listening all the way from borrowed cassettes to now enjoying her music in Spotify playlists.
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