Celine Dion still sings with late husband in her heart

It has been more than two years since she lost her beloved husband of 22 years. But Canadian pop diva Celine Dion still sings with Rene Angelil, who was also her manager, in her heart.

Angelil died in January 2016, after a long battle with throat cancer, at the age of 73.

Since then Dion, who has three sons - Rene-Charles, 17, and eight-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson - has soldiered on with her best-selling second concert residency, Celine, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

She is now recovering from a surgical procedure to treat a condition in her middle ear that causes hearing irregularities.

Dion, 50, told The New Paper over the phone from Las Vegas back in January: "My husband suffered a lot from cancer, but he was a real fighter all his life - from fighting for our marriage, to having children and for our career. I will always miss him, but he lives with me, he still sings with me, and he is in my life every day.

"Life is like that. You don't choose to have cancer, you don't choose to die. If it happens, you have to be strong, and I have to be strong for my children."

One can always expect strength from a Celine Dion concert, especially when it comes to her powerhouse vocals, and Singapore fans will finally witness the superstar in her full glory at her two-night concert at Marina Bay Sands in July.

FIRST TIME

The Celine Dion Live 2018 tour will mark her first gigs in Asia and Australia since the Taking Chances World Tour in 2008. She will be performing in some cities for the first time, such as Jakarta, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok and Singapore.

Dion said: "The unfortunate part about travelling so quickly is that we don't have a lot of time. If I do have time, I would love to be able to sightsee. We are excited to go to Singapore."

Dion promised to belt out fan favourites such as Because You Loved Me, as well as new tracks.

One of her latest hits is Ashes from the soundtrack of superhero movie Deadpool 2.

The music video was released on May 3 and has chalked up more than 10 million views.

It features Dion singing the power ballad while Deadpool is in high heels busting out impressive interpretive dance moves.

Dion said she was still working out the wardrobe to accompany the set list for her concert.

She said: "You can't wear a pair of jeans to sing My Heart Will Go On, so everything has to fit, from the music to the costumes to everything."

She also hoped concertgoers will not get over-excited.

During her Las Vegas residency in January, a drunk female fan managed to clamber on stage and proceeded to hug and put a leg around the singer.

Dion said: "I was not wearing my contacts that night, so I thought she was just coming on stage to shake my hand. Then I thought, 'If she is putting her other leg around me, we are both going down'."

She graciously embraced the woman and tried to have a conversation with her, before escorting her offstage.

Dion then thanked the audience for their understanding and for listening to what the woman had to say.

She joked: "Just make sure that when I go to Singapore, we don't have fans who jump on stage again, okay?"

FYI

WHAT Celine Dion Live 2018 in Singapore

WHERE Sands Grand Ballroom, Marina Bay Sands

WHEN July 3 and 4

TICKETS $150 to $1,200 from www.marinabaysands.com/ticketing and Sistic (6348-5555 or sistic.com.sg). They go on sale beginning May 10, 10am.