Celine Dion (album)

Background and content

Dion's real international breakthrough came when she paired up with Peabo Bryson to record the title track to Walt Disney Pictures animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). The song captured a musical style that Dion would utilize in the future: sweeping, classical and soft rock influenced ballads with soft instrumentation. Both a critical and commercial smash, the song became her second United States top 10 hit, and also won many awards. That song was also the first single from Celine Dion album which had a soft rock influence that was combined with elements of soul and classical music. Due to the success of the lead-off single, the album was as well received. As with Dion's earlier releases, the album had an overtone of love.

Dion worked with a new team of writers and producers on her eponymous album. Five songs were written by Diane Warren. "With This Tear" was a gift from Prince who wrote the song especially for Dion and offered it to her. The tracks were produced mainly by Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake and Guy Roche.

By 1992, Unison, Celine Dion and media appearances had propelled Dion to superstardom in the North America. She had achieved one of her main objectives: wedging her way into the anglophone market and establishing fame. Apart from her rising success, there were also changes in Dion's personal life, as René Angélil would make the transition from manager to lover. However, the relationship was kept a secret as both feared that the public would find the twenty-six-year difference between their ages incongruous.

The European version of Celine Dion included "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" as a bonus track. The album was re-released on 7 September 1992 in Australia with a bonus disc containing four songs which had been previously released as singles from Unison.

"Send Me a Lover" was a "leftover" from the recording sessions of the Celine Dion album and it was released in 1994 on the charity compilation Kumbaya Album 1994.

Critical reception

The album has received varied reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that "Celine Dion's self-titled follow-up to her successful American debut is even stronger and more accomplished." Arion Berger from Entertainment Weekly commented, "She hits all the notes on Prince's graceful, desperate 'With This Tear,' but clearly she has more voice than heart." Music critic Robert Christgau called it the "Worst album of the year—that I can remember." Jan DeKnock of Chicago Tribune said that the album "is even better, because the young singer-only 24-has developed enough confidence in her second language to really deliver the emotional nuances of a lyric, especially in the ballads that dominate this album. [...] Dion has clearly joined Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston as one of the premier voices on the pop scene."

Commercial performance

Celine Dion has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. In the United States alone, the album has sold 2.4 million copies according to Nielsen SoundScan, and was certified 2x Platinum. It reached number 34 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Dion's popularity was also showing in Canada where the album peaked at number 3 and was certified Diamond for 1 million copies sold.

In other regions of the world, Celine Dion peaked at number 15 in Australia, number 31 in New Zealand, number 59 in Japan, and number 70 in the United Kingdom. It was also certified Gold in the UK, Japan and Australia. Dion received her first World Music Award for Best Selling Canadian Female Recording Artist of the Year.

The most successful single from the album was "Beauty and the Beast," which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold in the United States. Other singles, which reached the US top 40 included: "If You Asked Me To" (number 4), "Nothing Broken but My Heart" (number 29) and "Love Can Move Mountains" (number 36).

Awards

Celine Dion was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and Juno Award for Album of the Year. She also won the Female Vocalist of the Year and was nominated for the Canadian Entertainer of the Year. Dion also won the Billboard International Creative Achievement Award and was nominated for the Billboard Music Award for Hot Adult Contemporary Artist. She won the Félix Award for the Artist of the Year Achieving the Most Success in a Language Other Than French and Artist of the Year Achieving the Most Success Outside Quebec. Dion won the World Music Award for World's Best Selling Canadian Female Artist of the Year and Governor General's Award (Medal of Recognition for the Contribution to Canadian Culture).

"Beauty and the Beast " won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television, and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, Juno Award for Single of the Year, ASCAP Film and Television Music Award for Most Performed Song from Motion Picture and ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song.

"If You Asked Me To" won the ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song and was nominated for the Juno Award for Single of the Year and Billboard Music Award for Hot Adult Contemporary Single of the Year. ""Nothing Broken but My Heart" won the ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song. "Love Can Move Mountains" won the Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year and was nominated for the Single of the Year. The performance of "Love Can Move Mountains" at the Juno Awards of 1993 was nominated for the Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Variety Program or Series.