Celine Dion Brought to Tears by Kelly Clarkson’s Cover of ‘My Heart Will Go On’

Celine Dion is lauded as one of the greatest voices of all time, and she’s served as an inspiration to many singers, including American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, who is a vocal powerhouse herself. Clarkson performs live often on her daytime talk show, proving she’s still got the pipes. But her recent rendition of Dion’s iconic “My Heart Will Go On” left the Canadian-born singer in tears.

In July, Dion performed the classic ballad at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Dion shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) where she praised Clarkson’s cover of the song on her talk show.

“When I came back from the Olympics, I got to watch and listen to your reaction to my performance on the Eiffel Tower. It was so sweet to hear you, your voice. Your voice was breaking and it touched me so tremendously,” Dion said in the video. “You were crying and then you made me start crying. What’s up with all this friggin crying?! And now I just saw you sing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and I’m crying again. You were absolutely incredible. Fantastic. I loved it so much,” she added of the performance. “I hope we can see each other in person soon. Very soon. And I hope I’m not gonna start crying. I love you so much. Thanks. Bye.”

Clarkson performed the song on Sept. 27 with her band. Dion sang Edith Piaf’s classic “Hymne A L’Amour” at the base of the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic Rings lit above her head. Clarkson was also emotional from Dion’s performance. 

“I actually can’t talk,” Clarkson said, adding, “That was really beautiful. People don’t know her story. What she’s been going through physically… it’s just incredible what she’s overcome and have that moment,” she continued, referencing Dion being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS), which is a rare, chronic neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and spasms. “She’s a vocal athlete. She’s incredible,” Clarkson added.