Celine Dion Dedicates Heartfelt Song To Paris Attack Victims At AMAs


This year’s American Music Awards may have awarded the best musicians in the country, but it did not fail to show support to France as Celine Dion offered a special tribute performance.

During the show, which aired on Sunday, Dion sang the French song “Hymne L’Amour” by Edith Piaf, to show the event’s support for the victims of the Paris attacks on Nov. 13.

Celine Dion, 47, was introduced on stage by actor and band vocalist Jared Leto. At the start of her song, a picture of the Eiffel Tower and Paris was projected behind her.

An orchestra backed up Dion’s voice to add more emotion to the love song. A slideshow of Paris’ popular destinations were also shown, as well as images of people mourning the 129 victims of the terrorist attack.

Several people broke down in tears while Dion sang the 1950s classic. Some of the couples held their significant others tightly, while others were trying to suppress their emotions while watching the performance.

Some of the lines in the song include “Dans le ciel plus de problems/ Mon amour crois-tu qu’on s’aime/ Dieu réunit ceux qui s’aiment,” which can be translated to “No more problems my love, do you believe that we love each other/ God, reunite those who love each other.” Celine Dion received a rousing applause after the performance.

Meanwhile, Leto said that his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, has also performed at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, where gunmen killed 89 people. During the fateful night, rock band Eagles of Death Metal was having a concert. “We played a show at one of our favorite venues, the Bataclan. What a difference a day makes,” Leto said.

His short speech about the incident also included a call for peace. He said that “the entire world matters” and that “peace is possible.”

Piaf reportedly wrote “Hymn L’Amour” for boxer Marcel Cerdan, with whom she was madly in love. She first performed the song in New York in 1949.

Unfortunately, Cerdan was killed in a plane crash a month later while he was about to visit Piaf. He was aboard a Lockheed L-749 Constellation bound for New York, when the plane crashed into Monte Redondo.

The tragic incident only gave the song more meaning to Piaf and Cerdan’s fans.

Celine Dion Sang The Edith Piaf Original “Hymne à l’amour”

This time around, Celine Dion’s interpretation of the song made it an instant hit once again, and this time for people who have suffered terrible losses during the Nov. 13, attacks.

Show producer Larry Klein said that they wanted to pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks through Celine Dion’s performance.

“We felt it was important to show our solidarity in light of the recent events in Paris and all around the world.”

In addition, he said that the song would be able to reflect their feelings and emotions “when words do not suffice.”

At least seven separate incidents of terrorist attacks have been reported on that day, and one even targeted a football stadium where thousands of fans were watching a friendly match between France and Germany.

France president François Hollande has since declared a state of emergency, which closed the country’s borders and gave other powers to the government. Hollande has signed an extension on Saturday, which provided even more power and authority to the national government to counter terrorism until February 2016.

French President Francois Hollande Declares State of Emergency

Earlier this week, French authorities launched a raid on Paris suburb St-Denis, where the alleged mastermind of the attacks, Abdelhamid Abaaoud was hiding.

After hours of gunfire and a few explosions, two dead bodies where found, one of which reportedly belonged to Abaaoud.

[Image via YouTube]

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