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Celine Dion talks ‘Courage’ and her late husband: “René will always be part of me”

Only hours after the release of three surprise singles — ImperfectionsLying Down and Courage — Celine Dion visited the Today show on Wednesday to take part in an in-depth interview all about her upcoming album.

While the highly anticipated record, Courage (2019), played the biggest role in the interview, Dion, 51, also spoke about her ongoing tour of the same name and how she has been since the tragic passing of her husband and former manager René Angélil in 2016. Angélil passed away after a lengthy battle with throat cancer.

Almost immediately, the pop star spoke of the connection between her new album and beloved husband.

LISTEN: ‘Courage,’ the latest self-titled single by Celine Dion

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Courage was representing the whole losing my husband, losing my manager, my kids losing their father and to find the strength to keep going because I wanted to,” she said.

Courage will serve as Dion’s 12th English-language studio album and the first in six years. It’s also the star’s 27th album overall and will be the first not to include any input from Angélil.

READ MORE: U2 to conclude ‘The Joshua Tree tour 2019’ with first-ever performance in India

Dion also said that despite her former husband not being there physically, she still feels his presence spiritually.

“When I say ‘without René,’ it’s without René physically because René will always be part of me. Before I talk, he goes through my mind,” she said.

Celine Dion performs during the final show of her Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on June 8, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nev. Denise Truscello/Getty Images for AEG

“Would he do that?” the singer said. “Is it too edgy? Would he be approving of that?”

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“I believed in him so much and I still do,” Dion added. “But there’s a point that he’s not here anymore. I have to take charge of my life.”

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READ MORE: Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine shares uplifting cancer update

While Dion said she still isn’t ready to date, she remained positive:.

“I’m very lucky and happy to have people in my surrounding to make me laugh,” she said.

“I miss to be touched. I miss to be hugged. I miss to be told: ‘You’re beautiful.’ I miss what a boyfriend and I miss what a husband would do.”

WATCH: Celine Dion announces new world tour, album in 2019

Click to play video: 'Celine Dion announces new world tour, album in 2019'
Celine Dion announces new world tour, album in 2019

Dion’s three latest singles are now available on all major streaming platforms.

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The full Courage album drops on Nov. 15. It is now available for pre-order.

READ MORE: Celine Dion releases 3 new singles from upcoming album, ‘Courage’

The long-awaited Courage tour is currently underway. It kicked off on Sept. 18 in Quebec City at the Videotron Centre.

Dion was set to perform three nights at the venue before completing the rest of the extensive North American tour, which includes 17 Canadian dates.

Tickets and additional information can be found on the official Celine Dion website.

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Courage tour North American dates

** All Canadian shows are bolded **

Sept. 18 — Quebec City, Que. @ Videotron Centre
Sept. 20 — Quebec City, Que. @ Videotron Centre
Sept. 21 — Quebec City, Que. @ Videotron Centre

Sept. 26 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Sept. 27 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Sept. 30 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Oct. 1 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Oct. 4 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Oct. 5 — Montreal, Que. @ Bell Centre
Oct. 15 — Ottawa, Ont. @ Canadian Tire Centre

Oct. 16 — Ottawa, Ont. @ Canadian Tire Centre
Oct. 18 — Cleveland, Ohio @ Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 20 — Columbus, Ohio @ Schottenstein Center
Oct. 22 — Louisville, Ky. @ KFC Yum! Center
Oct. 24 — Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bank Arena
Oct. 26 — St. Louis, Mo. @ Enterprise Center
Oct. 28 — Kansas City, Mo. @ Sprint Center
Oct. 30 — Fargo, N.D. @ Fargo Dome
Nov. 1 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ Target Center
Nov. 3 — Milwaukee, Wis. @ Fiserv Forum
Nov. 5 — Detroit, Mich. @ Little Caesars Arena
Dec. 1 — Chicago, Ill. @ United Center
Dec. 3 — Indianapolis, Ind. @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Dec. 5 — Buffalo, N.Y. @ KeyBank Center
Dec. 7 — Albany, N.Y. @ Times Union Center
Dec. 9 — Toronto, Ont. @ Scotiabank Arena
Dec. 10 — Toronto, Ont. @ Scotiabank Arena

Dec. 13 — Boston, Mass. @ TD Garden
Dec. 14 — Boston, Mass. @ TD Garden
Jan. 8 — Jacksonville, Fla. @ Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena
Jan. 11 — Atlanta, Ga. @ State Farm Arena
Jan. 13 — Nashville, Tenn. @ Bridgestone Arena
Jan. 15 — Tampa, Fla. @ Amalie Arena
Jan. 17 — Miami, Fla. @ American Airlines Arena
Jan. 18 — Miami, Fla. @ American Airlines Arena
Jan. 21 — Charlotte, N.C. @ Spectrum Center
Jan. 30 — San Antonio, Texas @ AT&T Center
Feb. 1 — Houston, Texas @ Toyota Center
Feb. 3 — Dallas, Texas @ American Airlines Center
Feb. 5 — Tulsa, Okla. @ BOK Center
Feb. 7 — New Orleans, La. @ Smoothie King Center
Feb. 9 — Memphis, Tenn. @ FedEx Forum
Feb. 11 — Raleigh, N.C. @ PNC Arena
Feb. 22 — Atlantic City, N.J. @ Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall
Feb. 24 — Baltimore, Md. @ Royal Farms Arena
Feb. 26 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Wells Fargo Center
Feb. 28 — Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Barclays Center
Feb. 29 — Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Barclays Center
March 3 — Uniondale, N.Y. @ NYCB Live’s, Nassau Coliseum
March 7 — Newark, N.J. @ Prudential Center
March 11 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena
March 13 — Pittsburgh, Pa. @ PPG Paints Arena

Ticket details for the following shows are currently unavailable:

March 24 — Denver, Colo. @ Pepsi Center
March 26 — Salt Lake City, Utah @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
March 30 — Glendale, Ariz. @ Gila River Arena
April 2 — Los Angeles, Calif. @ STAPLES Center
April 7 — Sacramento, Calif. @ Golden 1 Center
April 9 — Oakland, Calif. @ Oracle Arena
April 11— San Francisco, Calif. @ Chase Center
April 13 — Portland, Ore. @ Moda Center
April 15 — Tacoma, Wash. @ Tacoma Dome
April 17 — Vancouver, B.C. @ Rogers Arena
April 21 — Edmonton, Alta. @ Rogers Place
April 25 — Saskatoon, Sask. @ SaskTel Centre
April 27 — Winnipeg, Man. @ Bell MTS Place

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Dion’s full interview on the Today show can be seen above.

adam.wallis@globalnews.ca

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