What's Céline Dion’s best Oscar performance?
Friday, July 26, 2024 at 8:00PM 
Céline Dion sings from the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
After hours of badly shot kitsch, much Parisian rain, and the occasional surge of Revolutionary camp complete with flamethrowers, the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony came to a close. Thankfully, artistic director Thomas Jolly saved the best for last, ending the festivities with Céline Dion, glorious on the Eiffel Tower, singing her take on Piaf's "Hymn to Love." For those who've followed the artist's recent health struggles or watched the documentary I Am Céline Dion, the moment had added meaning. Despite it all, the great diva fulfilled what she promised, returning to the world's stage after five years away from her public. It was beautiful beyond words.
Because Oscars are always on the mind around these parts, Dion's many Academy Award performances came to mind. She has appeared in six ceremonies to sing seven numbers, ranging from Best Original Song contenders to In Memoriam segments. That makes her one of the most invited singers in the awards' history, with every appearance an event. But what is her best Oscar performance? Time to vote on a new readers' poll…
"Beauty and the Beast" – 64th Academy Awards, 1992
"Because You Loved Me" – 69th Academy Awards, 1997
"I Finally Found Someone" – 69th Academy Awards, 1997
"My Heart Will Go On" – 70th Academy Awards, 1998
"The Prayer" – 71st Academy Awards, 1999
"I Knew I Loved You" – 79th Academy Awards, 2007
"Smile" – 83rd Academy Awards, 2011
Now that you've (re)watched all those musical moments, it's time to vote!
Share your love for the great Dion, tell everyone how you voted.
Reader Comments (7)
Today Céline made the world cry.
I cried as a baby.
Flawless performance.
Epic! ✨️✨️✨️
About her Oscar performances, "Because You Loved Me" (1996) is the number one in my heart. ❤️
Today Céline made the world cry.
I cried as a baby.
Flawless performance.
Epic! ✨️✨️✨️
About her Oscar performances, "Because You Loved Me" (1996) is the number one in my heart. ❤️
It's obviously The Prayer.
"My Heart Will Go On" is certainly the most famous (that chest punch is iconic in the true sense of the word.
But I had to go with "I Finally Found Someone," which is a pretty bad song, but it made for great tv. Between this and "You Must Love Me," the director seemed intent on some shady cuts to Streisand looking less than pleased. They must have held a grudge that she wouldn't sing her own song, but it was hilarious.
I live in th UK and stayed up all night watching the 1997 ceremony and was amazed by Celine and Madonna's slightly shady reading when she announced the song as the winner,Madonna always makes the moment about her like La Babs.
It was very moving to see Celine up there singing again,here's to her improving health,fans have missed her.
Your restraint in not linking to her performance at the Olympics is almost as amazing as all of these Celine performances. Guess I'll have to keep listening and listening to pick a favorite.
You always remember your first and I loved everything about the "Beauty and the Beast" Oscars performances, especially that they moved from the gentility of Lansbury to the power ballading of Bryson and Dion. By the end of the 90s, it was almost expected that Dion would perform something at the Oscars (I still remember the talk of that song from Bicentennial Man getting nominated on the strength of her vocals alone), and I think she was a real sport for stepping in to sing Streisand's song after Natalie Cole dropped out, so much so that Streisand even thanked her personally afterwards, leading to that beautiful Tell Him duet. If only Love Again had any kind of impact on the music branch, maybe she could have been back at the Oscars again this year, and I hope she is able to perform once again at some point.