ABOVE: Celine Dion takes the stage at Lips, a restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side (Photo Credit: Eric Lagg)
Legendary singer Celine Dion celebrated the release of her newest album last week by partying with some of her gay fans in New York.
“Courage,” the Canadian diva’s first English-language album in six years, dropped Nov. 15, and to mark the occasion, she turned up at Lips, a New York City restaurant on the Upper East Side that has regular drag shows, giving patrons gathered there an unexpected night to remember.
The venue was hosting a Celine-themed night, tied in with the new album, with fans singing karaoke versions of Dion’s biggest hits. Just after midnight, the 51-year-old Dion appeared onstage and began to sing one of her latest songs – with the karaoke screen flashing the lyrics so that the surprised and delighted fans in the crowd could sing along.
“I can’t believe I watched Céline Dion do karaoke of her own song at a gay bar at 12:30 AM last night,” tweeted @dbenderstern, who was in attendance. The tweet, which includes a clip of Dion performing, and has gone viral with over 230k likes and being viewed 3.5 million times.
I can’t believe I watched Céline Dion do karaoke of her own song at a gay bar at 12:30 AM last night pic.twitter.com/zuquPmX1Qq
— dbs (@dbenderstern) November 15, 2019
“This album has been a long process. I’m sorry it took awhile, but thank you so much for all your support through the years and for being here tonight,” Dion said to the crowd. “I hope René will like the album, and I hope you like it as well, of course. I put my heart into it. I love you all very much.”
René is Dion’s late husband, René Angélil, who passed away in 2016.
She performed a song from the new album, entitled, “Flying On My Own.”
Stephanie Stone, a drag queen present on the stage alongside Dion, told NBC’s TODAY, “As we know in life sometimes there are disappointments. Celine is not one of them. She delivers. So funny, kind and everything you hope for.”
