Only hours after the death of her mother, Céline Dion took the stage at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla., to perform the 1939 classic Over the Rainbow as a commemorative tribute.
The concert, which took place on Friday, was the second of two nights in Florida on Dion’s Courage tour, and despite her loss, she powered through the show with a full 18-song set — including her emotional rendition of the beloved Wizard of Oz track.
Throughout the Courage tour, Dion, 51, has ended her concerts with a cover of John Lennon’s Imagine; however, she chose to dedicate this particular concert to her mother Thérèse Tanguay Dion instead.
“We dedicate tonight’s show to you and I’ll sing to you with all my heart. Love, Céline xx…” the pop icon wrote on Twitter shortly after the news broke of her mother’s death.
Following the performance, the My Heart Will Go On singer shared a brief few words to her mother before breaking down in tears.
“Thank you so much,” she said. “I love you all. Thank you for my mom… Good night.”
Tanguay Dion, or Maman Dion as she was affectionately known in the province of Quebec, died peacefully in her sleep early Friday morning surrounded by her loved ones. She was 92.
She was the mother of 14 children. Céline was her youngest.
Tanguay Dion had a cooking show on French-language network TVA. She was known for devoting her time to helping children in need with her Maman Dion foundation.
“I love you, Mom,” Dion wrote in French on Instagram following the concert.
Dion will return to Canada for four more concert dates in the spring.
Tickets and additional information can be found on the official Céline Dion website.
Remaining Canadian Courage tour dates:
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
— With files from Kalina Laframboise
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