In Defense of Celine: A Voice Teacher's perspective

This week Rolling Stone released an article titled, “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” and Celine Dion is nowhere to be found on the list.

I’m sorry, what?

Fans are outraged and rightfully so.

Some are calling this “A crime against humanity”, some “Borderline treasonous”, and others “homophobic”

That’s me…I’m calling it homophobic

Recognizing that people would inevitably take issue with this list they stated:

The argument Rolling Stone is making here is that having a technically skilled instrument- doesn’t necessarily make you an amazing and iconic singer.

I agree! Good singing is not just about having a “good voice” it’s about the whole package.

Here are just a few components that I think make up great singing...

While Celine Dion has impeccable vocal technique, has sustained her mastery over decades, and can be regularly found warming up on television, she is so much more than just a technician.

The woman is a dynamic, expressive, and thrilling performer, and I have a hypothesis about why she was really left off this list...

Celine Dion is not cool.

Liking Celine Dion taps into the part of ourselves that is also not cool, and I get it-Rolling Stone wants to be cool.

Celine isn’t “cool” because she’s earnest. She wears her heart on her sleeve, she loves her fans, and it is clear she works hard.

Celine isn’t constantly reinventing herself like Madonna or Gaga. She’s not following the latest trends. Your grandma probably loves Celine Dion, and you're likely to hear her music while getting your teeth cleaned at the Dentist.

Celine is an easy target for parody. You can currently find her in the hit Off-Broadway musical "Titanique" (check out my Reels for a break down of how the hilarious Marla Mindelle recreates the Celine sound)

The least cool thing about Celine is that you can tell she loves to sing more than any human being who has walked this Earth. This is why her recent Stiff Person Sydrome Diagnosis is all the more heartbreaking.

As a voice teacher, I reguarly play clips of Celine's live performances for my students. Why? Because I want to show them what it looks like to sing with your whole self- what I consider to be a key ingredient in developing a unique and authentic singing voice.

Celine sings with her entire body, all of her big feelings, and is always 100% her eccentric self.

I think what Celine teaches us, is that before we can tap into our own innate genius, we have to first strip away the obligation to be "cool." Only then can we uncover what's real- and that, is what's actually cool.

So you are free to not like Celine Dion. You can roll your eyes at "My Heart Will Go On." You can stop dancing at the Bar Mitzvah when her songs come on. But, I don't think you can deny that she belongs on a list of "The Greatest Singers of All Time"

I leave you with this moment- Celine singing an emotional rendition of "All By Myself" weeks after the death of her beloved husband.