Donald Trump illegally used Titanic’s hit soundtrack at a campaign rally in Montana and Celine Dion doesn’t like it!
A rally was held for Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance in Bozeman on Friday, August 9. During the event, a video was played of Celine Dion singing the 1997 hit song My Heart Will Go On from the Titanic soundtrack (via NBC News).
Dion’s team addressed the matter on her X account (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, August 10. They said that Dion’s management and record label Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. were made aware of the unauthorized use of her videos, recordings, performances and likeness at the Donald Trump/Vance rally. The statement said that this use was not authorized and clarified that Dion does not endorse this or any other similar use.
It reads, “This use is not authorized in any way, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”
The statement ended with a question for the Trump campaign: “…and really, that song?”
This is not the first time Celine Dion has distanced herself from Donald Trump. She previously declined his request to perform at his presidential inauguration in 2017. According to The Wrap, Steve Wynn, a Las Vegas casino businessman at the time, promised Trump a Celine Dion performance at the inauguration, but he promptly declined.
Trump has faced such resistance from musicians before. For example, during his 2020 re-election campaign, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty issued a cease-and-desist letter over Trump’s use of his song Fortunate Son at campaign events, according to Rolling Stone. He claimed the song was written in protest of political and financial privileges that allow some people to avoid service or avoid paying their fair share of taxes. He said, “I’m disgusted that some people are excluded from serving our country because they have access to political and financial privilege.” He continued to criticize Donald Trump, who embodies those issues.
In 2020, Consequence of Sound reported that Phil Collins’ team had also demanded that the Trump campaign should stop using In the Air Tonight after it was played at a rally in Iowa.
Many other musicians and groups representing their families have come out against President Donald Trump’s use of their music. Bruce Springsteen did not want Born in the USA played during the 2016 election, Tom Petty’s family, Leonard Cohen’s estate, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones did not allow Trump to use their songs, as did Celine Dion.
Also read: Celine Dion performed at major event for the second time at Paris Olympics; here’s everything we know about her first opening ceremony
