Céline Dion receives the Order of Canada: Her career in numbers

Daniel Bettridge
·Blogger

Céline Dion and her manager husband, René Angélil, will be honoured with the highest Order of Canada honour at a ceremony in Quebec City on Friday.

Dion is being praised as "an extraordinary ambassador for Canada" and is being celebrated for her "unique voice" as well as her "compassion, generosity, and commitment to a number of social and humanitarian causes."

It will be a proud day for the 45-year-old Quebecois singer, but the honour is just the latest high in a glittering career that’s seen Dion become one of the most successful female artists in the past 30 years. So to help her celebrate, join us as we look back at some of Céline Dion’s greatest achievements with our take on her career in numbers.

12
The age Dion was when she released her first single, “Ce n'était qu'un rêve.” It's also the age she was when she first met her then-38-year-old manager, René Angélil. Little did she know that 14 years later, he’d become her husband and the father of the couple’s three children — proving that the heart will go on, no matter what the age gap.

8
The number of languages Dion has sung in, including French, English, Spanish, German, and Japanese.

47
The number of albums Dion has released during her 33-year career.

300 million
The number of albums Dion is estimated to have sold, making her the most successful artist in Canadian history.

10
The number of weeks that “My Heart Will Go On,” Dion’s hit theme song for 1997’s "Titanic," spent at the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 Airplay chart.

200,000
The number of people who file into the 70 or so concerts a year that make up Dion’s residency at the Colosseum in Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas. The show, which has been extended until 2019, makes Dion the most profitable Vegas act since Elvis stalked the Strip.

What do you think of Céline Dion's success? Do you think it's a good reflection of Canada, and does she deserve the Order of Canada Honour? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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