In a heartfelt exchange on social media, Kelly Clarkson expressed gratitude to Céline Dion for her praise following an emotional rendition of “My Heart Will Go On.” Dion, 56, shared her admiration for Clarkson’s performance in an Instagram Reel, reminiscing about watching the singer’s reaction to her performance at the Eiffel Tower after the Olympics.
“Kelly, when I came back from the Olympics, I got to watch and listen to your reaction to my performance on the Eiffel Tower,” Dion said. “It was so sweet to hear your voice breaking. You were crying, and then you made me start crying. What’s up with all this friggin’ crying?” She continued to shower Clarkson with compliments, stating, “You were absolutely incredible. I loved it so much. I hope we can see each other in person soon, very soon.”
Clarkson, 42, responded on October 8, recalling a pivotal moment from her time on the first season of “American Idol.” She explained how she suffered from laryngitis during a week when many contestants fell ill due to the demanding schedule. “The week that I had laryngitis, I had to sing Céline Dion’s ‘I Surrender.’ I was mortified,” she shared.
Reflecting on that performance, Clarkson described it as “so bad” due to her illness and the pressure she felt knowing Dion would be watching. “I could have cared less about votes at that point,” she admitted.
However, Clarkson felt a sense of redemption with her recent Kellyoke performance of “My Heart Will Go On.” “I felt like I sang it alright. I wasn’t sick, and I got to honor someone who is such a hero to me vocally,” she stated, highlighting Dion’s influence on her career.
During Clarkson’s Top 4 performance on “American Idol,” judge Simon Cowell acknowledged the cast-wide illness and commended her for persevering through the challenges, even comparing her to vocal powerhouses like Céline Dion and Mariah Carey.
In a recent interview, Dion opened up about her health challenges, specifically her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome. Despite the difficulties, she remains optimistic about her return to the stage, expressing confidence in her vocal coach and treatment plan, stating, “It’s making such a difference.”
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