Celine Dion
Courtesy of Columbia RecordsCeline fans will have to wait a little longer to take in a performance from the Canadian superstar. Promoters AEG and Concerts West announced on Tuesday (Oct. 19) that Celine Dion has been experiencing severe and persistent muscle spasms which are preventing her from performing for her upcoming residency at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas. Dion’s currently scheduled shows through February have been canceled.
“I’m heartbroken by this,” said Dion in a statement. “My team and I have been working on our new show for the past eight months, and to not be able to open this November saddens me beyond words. My partners at Resorts World Las Vegas and AEG have been working around the clock to get this brand-new state-of-the-art theatre ready, and it's absolutely beautiful.”
The promoters said in a release that Dion’s medical team continues to evaluate and treat the singer, but the symptoms she is experiencing are prohibiting her from participating in the ongoing rehearsals for the new show.
“Celine is family to us, and the most important thing now is for her to focus on feeling better,” said president and co-CEO of Concerts West/AEG Presents John Meglen in a release. “In our two-decade long relationship with Celine, we’ve certainly learned how dedicated and resilient she is, and that she is most happy when she’s on stage doing what she loves most, performing for her fans. We’re ready to announce new Las Vegas show dates whenever Celine is ready.”
Dion’s newest residency was scheduled to kick off Nov. 5 with dates through Nov. 20. After a short break, Dion was scheduled to return on Jan. 19 and run through Feb. 5. Fans who purchased tickets through AXS or Resorts World Las Vegas will receive automatic refunds within 30 days. Ticket holders of the canceled Las Vegas performances will receive a pre-sale opportunity for first access to purchase tickets for newly scheduled show dates when they are announced.
“I’m especially sorry for disappointing all the fans who’ve been making their plans to come to Las Vegas,” Dion’s statement continued. “Now, I have to focus on getting better… I want to get through this as soon as I can.”
Fontaines D.C. have teamed up with Rosalía for their new collaboration, Where Is Gone?.
The song features on the Irish rock band's forthcoming album, Dopamine Chamber, which arrives on Friday (16.10.26). For guitarist Carlos O’Connell, working with the Spanish superstar is particularly special because of his own Spanish roots.
He explained: “I’ve admired Rosalía ever since her debut album, which I thought was absolutely beautiful.
“What excited me most was the way she continued to preserve Spain's musical traditions, something that felt spiritually connected to what we've been trying to achieve with Irish music. Having roots in both countries, it's been really special to witness. "She's an artist who has continued to amaze me at every point in her career.”
Frontman Grian Chatten has also described the collaboration with Rosalía as one of the most memorable achievements of his career.
He revealed that he felt "humbled" when she agreed to lend her voice to the band's album.
Speaking to NPR, Grian said: “I've always felt there's something almost like a single big idea that I'm personally trying to communicate to the world before I get old and die, if that makes sense. There's one thing I think I'll spend my life trying to express. I have a feeling she has a similar outlook. … I mean, she's an amazing arranger, composer and lyricist. It means so much that she wanted to sing on something we'd put together. It's definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
Rosalía's links to Irish rock music extend beyond Fontaines D.C. She also offered inspiration and helped develop the Spanish lyrics for U2's The Mirror Maker (Rosalía), a track from their forthcoming album, Carnaval de Luz.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, she spoke about frontman Bono, saying: “I don't know him personally, but he sent me a text explaining that he was working on a new project and had written a song called The Mirror Maker."
Rosalía joked that Bono had invented a few words of his own.
She recalled telling him: “I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I told him he could create his own language if he wanted to.”
She described the opportunity to collaborate with the 66 year old music veteran as a real privilege.
She added: “Bono is a legend.
“It's amazing.”
Bono recently revealed that he was worried about seeming like a stalker when he reached out to Rosalía to ask whether he could name the song after her.
