How France fell in love with Céline Dion

Two years after her dazzling performance atop the Eiffel Tower for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Céline Dion is back in the French capital for a series of sold-out concerts – and fans are over the moon. Some 500,000 people are expected to attend the concerts. In the Paris suburb of Nanterre, dozens of fans took part in a karaoke event organised by the city, hoping to win the last remaining tickets. “It takes me right back to my childhood,” said one fan who has been listening to the singer for four decades. For another fan, the Canadian singer is the true Queen of Pop: “I’d rather go and see Céline than Beyoncé or Lady Gaga. I love them too, but Céline is on another level!” Another of her biggest admirers has made a career out of being Céline. Sébastien Costic has imitated Dion across Europe for the past 30 years. A former primary school teacher, when he performs, he has the full Céline look: custom-made accessories, gowns, wigs and high heels. Since the announcement of Céline’s comeback, bookings for his tribute shows have doubled. For Costic, Dion holds a very special place in the hearts of French people: “Today, you almost forget that she isn’t French. You feel like she’s one ...