D'elles received favorable reviews from music critics, some of whom noticed that it is Dion's most ambitious project in a long time. On the commercial level, the album debuted at number one in Canada and France, and also topped the chart in Wallonia (Belgium) and reached number three in Switzerland. It was certified two times platinum in Canada, platinum in France, and gold in Belgium and Switzerland.
Background
On 14 September 2006, celinedion.com posted information that Dion would release a new French album in 2007.[1] Ten prominent female writers from Quebec and France wrote the lyrics and a team of famous French composers worked on the music.[1]Jean-Jacques Goldman would be overseeing the album which will be recorded in Las Vegas.[1] On 3 January 2007, Dion's official website announced that the new French-language album, D'elles was scheduled for release in May 2007.[2] The title is a spin-off of Dion's 1995 album D'eux. Both can be translated as About Them or From Them, with D'elles being specifically the feminine version.[3] In a press release from 12 January 2007, it was confirmed that Dion was still working on her upcoming album which is a concept project. The lyrics were written by females only: Françoise Dorin, Christine Orban, Nina Bouraoui, Marie Laberge, Lise Payette, Denise Bombardier, Nathalie Nechtschein, Janette Bertrand, Jovette Alice Bernier and George Sand, and the themes throughout this album centre on "woman". Many of Dion's long-time collaborators, including Jean-Jacques Goldman, participated in this project. Although Goldman did not write any of the songs, he supervised the album and arranged the song lyrics. Music composers included: Erick Benzi, Jacques Veneruso, David Gategno and Gildas Arzel.
The first single "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)", written by Françoise Dorin and David Gategno, was scheduled for release in Francophone countries on 14 February 2007.[4] Dion's official website posted information that D'elles will be released in two special editions: a double digipak and a collectors box set.[5] The album was scheduled for release on 21 May 2007 in selected European countries and 22 May 2007 in Canada.[6] "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" premiered on 14 February 2007 and was sent to radio and released as a digital download on the same day.[7] In a press release from 16 February 2007, celinedion.com announced that Dion is putting the finishing touches on D'elles, an album which celebrates womanhood. Also two new music composers were added to the list: Marc Dupré and Jean-François Breau.[8] The first excerpt from the "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" music video was posted on 28 March 2007 and the full video premiered on 4 April 2007.[9][10] The "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" CD single was issued on 13 April 2007 in Francophone countries. The cover art for the album, by Daniela Federici, was released on 19 April 2007.[11]
Content
On 17 April 2007, the complete track listing for the album containing thirteen songs became available for TeamCeline members.[12]D'elles includes two versions of the song "A cause". While the lyrics, written by Françoise Dorin, are the same on both versions, there are two different musical arrangements. The music for the first version, titled "A cause", was composed by Jacques Veneruso, and the music for the second version, titled "On s'est aimé à cause", was composed by Marc Dupré and Jean-François Breau.[13] Dorin also wrote the first single, "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)". She is a French writer, songwriter and actress. D'elles also includes "Immensité", the second single which was sent to radio on 27 April 2007.[14] It was written by Nina Bouraoui, a French-Algerian author whose work focuses mainly on the bond between females. She also wrote "Les paradis".[15]
Other songs include: "Je cherche l'ombre" with lyrics by Lise Payette who is a well-known Quebec author, an avid writer and a weekly columnist for Le Journal de Montréal, a television and radio personality, a politician and a strong advocate for women;[16] "La diva", a tribute to the famous opera singer Maria Callas, written by Denise Bombardier, an established journalist, novelist and media personality in Quebec who was honoured with the prestigious Legion of Honour and the National Order of Quebec (the song includes fragment of "Sì. Mi Chiamano Mimì" from the opera La bohème performed by Callas);[17] "Femme comme chacune" whose lyrics are an adaptation of the poem "Ses yeux de clair de lune", by the late Quebec author, Jovette Alice Bernier;[18] "Si j'étais quelqu'un" which is a reflection on what society judges as being "normal" and whose lyrics are adapted from a poem written by Nathalie Nechtschein, a young French poet;[19] "Je ne suis pas celle" written by Christine Orban, a Moroccan-French novelist who has authored many books and describes herself as a romantic who treasures the female's ability to dream;[20] "Le temps qui compte" with lyrics by Marie Laberge, a Quebec author known in Canada for her literature, and in other Francophone countries for her plays; "Lettre de George Sand à Alfred de Musset", an adaptation of a letter exchanged between two lovers in the 19th century, written by George Sand;[21] and "Berceuse", a lullaby written for Dion's son René-Charles by Janette Bertrand, a famous writer and public personality in Quebec, winner of the 1990 Montreal Salon de la Femme 'Femme du Siècle' award.[22][23]
D'elles was released in three versions: standard edition in jewel case, a special edition in double digipak (including DVD, a booklet of Dion's photos, and another booklet with song lyrics and Dion's personal notes about each track) and a second special edition in collectors box set (with DVD, a mini-booklet of Dion's photos and her personal notes about each song, a mini-booklet with song lyrics, and four postcards).[24] The bonus DVD, titled Céline parle D'elle(s) includes the making of the album in a recording studio, behind-the-scenes from the "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" music video and photo shoot for the album.[24][25]
Promotion
For the release of her new French-language album, Dion taped a two-hour television special about D'elles which was broadcast on 21 May 2007 on TVA in Canada. It was hosted by Quebec television icon Julie Snyder and featured Dion and the female authors who wrote the song lyrics for the album.[26] Dion performed: "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)", "Immensité", "Je cherche l'ombre", "Berceuse", "La diva", "Le temps qui compte" and "On s'est aimé à cause". The recording sessions for "Femme comme chacune", "Lettre de George Sand à Alfred de Musset" and "Si J'étais quelqu'un" were also shown. The television special was watched by 1,614,000 viewers and became the number-one-rated show for the week of 21 to 27 May with 82% share of the audience.[27][28]
On 9 June 2007, another television special was broadcast, this time in France on TF1. Dion was interviewed and performed three songs from D'elles ("Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)", "A cause" and "Immensité") and also many duets: "Stayin' Alive" with Vitaa, Shy'm and Amel Bent, "Hymne à l'amour" with Maurane and Johnny Hallyday, "Blueberry Hill" with Johnny Hallyday, "The Show Must Go On" with Christophe Maé and David Hallyday, "My Heart Will Go On" with Lââm and Amel Bent, "Caroline" with MC Solaar and Nolwenn Leroy, "Être à la hauteur" with Merwan Rim and Christophe Maé, and "Caruso" with Florent Pagny.[29] This television special was watched by 4,987,440 viewers. At the end of the year, during Dion's promotional visit to France, she performed "Immensité" on various occasions: on 2 November 2007 on Star Academy as a duet with one of the contestants; on 5 November 2007 during the Chérie FM Awards ceremony which wasn't broadcast on television; on 10 November 2007 on Hit Machine on M6; and on 29 December 2007 on Les Stars de L'année on France 2.[30][31][32]
Dion performed "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" in French-speaking territories during her Taking Chances World Tour, which means the album was only supported by one song. According to the tourbook, "Immensité" was rehearsed but never performed during the tour, though it was performed in later tours.
Singles
The first single, "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" was released as a digital download in Francophone countries on 14 February 2007. However, the singles charts in these countries did not include digital sales at that time, so "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" entered them only thanks to the CD single which was issued two months later, on 13 April 2007. The song debuted at number one in France, becoming Dion's fifth chart-topping single in this country. It also peaked at number four in Belgium Wallonia and number thirty-four in Switzerland. Because of these positions, the single reached number seven on the European Hot 100 Singles. In Quebec, "Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)" peaked at number two.
The second single, "Immensité" was released as a digital download in Francophone countries on 14 May 2007, and the music video premiered on 22 May 2007.[33] Again, the digital sales did not count towards singles charts in these countries. Therefore, "Immensité" did not enter the sales charts but it peaked inside top ten on the Top 100 Francophone Radio BDS in Quebec.[34]
In Poland, "Le temps qui compte" was released as the first and only single on 18 May 2007. The song promoted the album on radio and reacher no. 1 on RMF FM on 11 June 2007.
"On s'est aimé à cause" started receiving airplay in Quebec in August 2007. In France, Sony Music Entertainment created in January 2008 promotional singles of "A cause" with a Dance Remix. However, in February 2008 it was reported that Sony is considering the release of "Le temps qui compte" instead of "A cause". Eventually, Sony did not support any of these releases.
D'elles received positive reviews from music critics. According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic, "it is Dion's most ambitious project in a long time, if not ever. The only rival is musically adventurous 1 fille & 4 types, and if D'elles is a bit too careful musically, it nevertheless is unified as an album and shows some serious artistic ambition. Sonically, D'elles couldn't be more different than the folky 1 fille & 4 types, from its "soaring majestic ballads" to its 'chilly disco sheen.'" Erlewine called the album extremely European.[35]
A Los Angeles Times article stated, "Although critics complain about Dion's weakness for meaningless bombast, bombast is in fact the only meaning Dion has to offer. Like recent work by Madonna or Barbra Streisand, this music is about power. In every song, Dion allows the arena-schmaltz atmospherics to threaten her center-stage dominance. Then, just in time, she beats back the violins with a trademark shriek".[36]
Commercial reception
In Canada, D'elles shot to the top of the chart, selling 72,200 copies in its first week and making it the biggest debut of the year, according to data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan.[37][38] It marked her tenth number-one album in the SoundScan era, and her eighth to debut at the top position.[37] Out of 72,200 units, 69,285 were sold in Quebec alone.[38] Dion captured the top spot once again next week, selling 24,158 copies.[39][40] In the third week, D'elles slipped to number three selling 11,000 units and on 12 June 2007, it was certified 2× platinum in Canada for shipping 200,000 copies.[41][42] In the fourth week, the album sank to number eight.[43]D'elles also spent two weeks at number one on the Quebec Albums Chart.[44]
In France, D'elles also debuted at number one, selling 55,244 copies.[45] It stayed at the top position for the second week, selling 44,143 units. In the third week, it dropped to number two with sales of 18,040 units. The next week, D'elles fell to number four selling another 17,800 copies and on 21 June 2007, it was certified platinum for shipping 200,000 units.[46] Till the end of 2007, the album has sold 259,700 physical copies in France.[47] As of September 2010, the album has sold over 300,000 copies in France.[48]
In Belgium Wallonia, D'elles has sold 15,000 units on the first day after and was certified gold immediately.[49][50] It reached number one and stayed there for three consecutive weeks. In Switzerland, the album peaked at number three and was certified gold.[51]D'elles has shipped half a million units worldwide during the first week of sales.[28]
In July 2007, Dion was nominated for three Chérie FM Awards: Album of the Year, French Song of the Year ("Et s'il n'en restait qu'une (je serais celle-là)") and Female Artist of the Year. Additionally she received Honorary Award during the ceremony.[52] Later, in December 2007, she was also nominated for NRJ Music Award as Francophone Female Artist of the Year and she won Honorary Award during the ceremony.[53] At the Juno Awards of 2008, Dion received six nominations, including two exclusively for D'elles: Album of the Year and Francophone Album of the Year.[54]
1 fille & 4 types is the twentieth studio album and twelfth French-language album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Sony Music on 13 October 2003. 1 fille & 4 types features thirteen songs written and arranged by Jean-Jacques Goldman, Erick Benzi, Jacques Veneruso, and Gildas Arzel, and produced by Benzi. The first single from the album, "Tout l'or des hommes", reached top ten in all Francophone countries, including number one in Quebec and number three in France. It was followed by "Et je t'aime encore" and "Contre nature".
D'eux is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, and her tenth French-language album. It was released by Sony Music on 30 March 1995 in Canada and on 3 April 1995 in France. It was issued in other countries in the following months. In the United States, it was released under the title The French Album. D'eux was preceded by the lead hit single, "Pour que tu m'aimes encore". The album was mainly written and produced by French singer-songwriter, Jean-Jacques Goldman. It garnered favorable reviews from music critics and became the best-selling album in France, the best-selling French-language album, and the best-selling non-English language album by a female artist of all time, with sales of over twelve million copies worldwide.
"On ne change pas" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion from her sixteenth studio album, S'il suffisait d'aimer (1998). It was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman and produced by Goldman and Erick Benzi. The song was released as the album's third single on 1 March 1999. "On ne change pas" topped the chart in Quebec for six weeks. Elsewhere, it peaked at numbers 11 in Poland, 16 in Belgium Wallonia and 17 in France.
"Je ne vous oublie pas" is the lead single from Celine Dion's French-language greatest hits album, entitled On ne change pas (2005). It was released as a music download in Canada on 27 September 2005 and in France on 3 October 2005. The CD single was released in France, Belgium and Switzerland in mid-October 2005. "Je ne vous oublie pas" reached number two in France and was certified Gold there.
Canadian singer Celine Dion has released 27 studio albums, seven live albums, 20 compilation albums, and 25 box sets. Referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", Dion is the best-selling Canadian artist of all time and the best-selling artist in the Nielsen SoundScan era in Canada. Dion is also the second best-selling female artist in the United States since Nielsen began tracking sales in 1991 with over 53.2 million albums sold in the country. Guinness World Records recognises her as the Top Selling Album Act in Europe with 33 million certified album sales since 1996. In 2003, Dion was honored by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for selling 50 million albums in Europe. Billboard placed her second among the best-selling female album artist of the 2000s Decade in the United States with 17.3 million albums sold via Soundscan. According to Billboard, Dion is the sixth Greatest Billboard 200 female solo artist of all time, as well as the eighth Greatest female solo artist of all time in Billboard's chart history.
"Et je t'aime encore" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion from her twentieth studio album, 1 fille & 4 types (2003). It was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman and J. Kapler, and produced by Erick Benzi. "Et je t'aime encore" was released as the album's second single on 16 February 2004. It reached numbers two in Quebec, 14 in Belgium Wallonia, 16 in France and 31 in Switzerland.
"Et s'il n'en restait qu'une " is the first hit single from Celine Dion's French-language album, D'elles. It premiered on the radio in France, Quebec, Switzerland and Belgium on 14 February 2007 and was released as a music download on the same day. The CD single was released on 13 April 2007 in Francophone countries. The song topped the chart in France.
The Taking Chances World Tour was the ninth concert tour by French Canadian singer Celine Dion, in-support of her thirteenth French-language and 22nd studio album, D'elles (2007), as well as her tenth English-language and 23rd studio album, Taking Chances (2007). The tour marked Dion’s return to performing on a global scale, after five successful years with her groundbreaking Las Vegas residency, A New Day.... It was also her first concert tour in nine years, following her Let's Talk About Love World Tour (1998/99).
Taking Chances is the twenty-third studio album and tenth English-language album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 7 November 2007. Dion returned to the music scene after almost five years of performing A New Day... on the Las Vegas Strip. She collaborated on Taking Chances with various rock and pop producers, including John Shanks, Linda Perry, ex-Evanescence members Ben Moody and David Hodges, Kristian Lundin, Ne-Yo, Chuck Harmony, Tricky Stewart, Eurythmics' David A. Stewart, Kara DioGuardi, Emanuel Kiriakou, Anders Bagge, Peer Åström, Aldo Nova, Christopher Neil and Guy Roche.
On ne change pas is the first comprehensive French-language greatest hits album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Sony Music on 30 September 2005. It features songs recorded between 1981 and 2005, including three new tracks, all of which were released as singles: "Je ne vous oublie pas", "Tous les secrets" and "I Believe in You". "Je ne vous oublie pas" reached number two in France and was certified Silver. The other singles peaked at numbers twenty and thirty, respectively. On ne change pas received positive reviews from music critics. It reached number one in France and Belgium Wallonia, and number two in Canada and Switzerland. On ne change pas was certified 3× Platinum in France and Canada, Platinum in Belgium and Gold in Switzerland. In 2009, it was re-released under the title Best of – 3 CD.
"Voler" is a French-language song and promotional single from Michel Sardou's album, Être une femme 2010. It is a duet with Celine Dion. "Voler" was written by Jacques Veneruso and Sardou, and produced by Veneruso and Thierry Blanchard. It went to radio on 2 September 2010, and was made available as a music download from Sardou's album, which was released on 30 August 2010. The song reached number 48 on the Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart.
"Parler à mon père" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the lead single from her 2012 French-language album, Sans attendre. It was written by Jacques Veneruso and produced by Veneruso and Patrick Hampartzoumian. "Parler à mon père" is a pop song about Dion's father who died in 2003. The track received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted that it is one of the standout songs on Sans attendre. The Thierry Vergnes-directed music video features Dion in the middle of a desert. It became her second most viewed French video on YouTube, after "Pour que tu m'aimes encore". "Parler à mon père" was commercially successful, reaching number one in Quebec and number eight in France. It became Dion's third longest-charting single in France, after "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" and "Encore un soir", spending sixty-three weeks on the chart.
Sans attendre is the twenty-fourth studio album and fourteenth French-language album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released by Columbia Records on 2 November 2012. It is her first new French studio album since 2007's D'elles. Sans attendre features sixteen songs produced mainly by Jacques Veneruso, David Gategno and Scott Price. It contains three duets with Johnny Hallyday, Jean-Pierre Ferland and the late Henri Salvador. The first single from the album, "Parler à mon père" was released on 2 July 2012 and "Le miracle" was selected as the second track to promote Sans attendre. Both songs reached number one in Quebec and "Parler à mon père" also peaked inside the top ten in France. Third single "Qui peut vivre sans amour?" was sent to radio stations in March 2013.
"Le miracle" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the second single from her 2012 French-language album, Sans attendre. It was written by Marie Bastide and Gioacchino Maurici, and produced by Jacques Veneruso and Patrick Hampartzoumian. "Le miracle" is a pop song about miracles in everyday life. It received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who noted that it is one of the standout tracks on the album. The Thierry Vergnes-directed video features Dion amidst autumn scenery and people jumping in the air to express their happiness.
"Qui peut vivre sans amour?" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released as the third single from her French-language album, Sans attendre (2012). It was written by Elodie Hesme and David Gategno, and produced by Julien Schultheis and Gategno. "Qui peut vivre sans amour?" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who called it an orchestral rock power ballad. The well-received music video for the song premiered on 19 April 2013.
Tournée Européenne 2013 was the tenth concert tour by Canadian singer Celine Dion. The tour was organized to support the highly successful fourteenth French-language and twenty-fourth studio album Sans attendre (2012), which has sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. It also served as initial promotion for Dion's then recently-released English album Loved Me Back to Life (2013), since she incorporated a few songs from this album to the concert's setlist. It was Dion's first dedicated Francophone tour since the D'eux Tour in 1995–1996. With only ten concerts performed, it was also the shortest tour of Dion's career. Overall, the tour grossed an estimated $20 million from nine shows in Europe. The tour would also mark as the final concert tour for the majority of Dion's longtime touring band members consisting of musical director Claude "Mego" Lemay, guitarist André Coutu, keyboardist Yves Frulla, bassist Marc Langais, and violinist Jean-Seb Carré.
Céline une seule fois / Live 2013 is a live album/home video by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was released by Columbia Records on 16 May 2014 as a three-disc set. The album/video was recorded on 27 July 2013 on the historic Plains of Abraham in Quebec City during the one-night only Céline... une seule fois show. The CD also includes four bonus tracks recorded in Paris during Dion's sold-out Tournée Européenne 2013 in November and December 2013.
"Celle qui m'a tout appris" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion, released in April 2014 as the first single from Céline une seule fois / Live 2013 (2014). It was written by Nina Bouraoui and Jacques Veneruso, and produced by Veneruso and Thierry Blanchard, and originally featured on Sans attendre (2012). "Celle qui m'a tout appris" received favorable reviews from music critics.
The Summer Tour 2016 was the eleventh concert tour by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was organized to support Dion's fifteenth French-language and twenty-sixth studio album, Encore un soir (2016), released on 26 August 2016. It was Dion's first tour since the Sans attendre Tour in 2013. With 28 shows, it was also her biggest Francophone tour since the D'eux Tour in 1995–96. The show began in Antwerp, Belgium on 20 June 2016 and concluded on 31 August 2016 in Trois-Rivières, Québec. The Summer Tour 2016 grossed $56 million.
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