Celine Dion’s team have stated that Donald Trump used ‘My Heart Will Go On’ without authorisation at a rally and that she “does not endorse this”.
At the political campaign event in Bozeman, Montana on Friday (August 9), a video clip of Dion singing the 1997 song was played on the big screen.
At the time, it was unclear whether Trump’s people had followed the proper routes to clear the usage of the track, but in a social media post to Dion’s accounts on Saturday, the answer became clear.
“Today, Celine Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized usage of the video, recording, musical performance, and likeness of Celine Dion singing “My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign rally in Montana,” it read.
“In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”
“…And really, THAT song?” the statement concluded, possibly referencing the song’s synonymous links with Titanic, the world’s most famous sinking ship.
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Dion had been invited to perform at Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, but once again, she refused to be associated with the former president.
The Canadian singer gave a showstopping performance of Edith Piaf’s ‘L’Hymne a L’Amour’ at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, her first public performance since she revealed her stiff person syndrome diagnosis in 2022.
Dion is far from the first artist to speak out after their music was used at a Trump rally. Earlier this year, after The Smiths’ ‘Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want’ was played at one such event, Johnny Marr made his thoughts clear: “Consider this shit shut down right now.”
In the past, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Queen and The Animals have made similar objections.