Celine Posts Tribute To Husband On His Death Anniversary After Backup Dancer Scandal
Jan. 15 2020, Published 8:27 p.m. ET
Celine Dion posted an Instagram tribute to her late husband Rene Angelil on the fourth anniversary of his tragic death.
Along with a sweet throwback photo of Angelil holding a puppy, the "My Heart Will Go On" singer, 51, wrote, “There is not a day that goes by without me thinking about your beautiful smile. We miss you, thank you for watching over us my love. I love you. Céline xx…”
Dion was devastated when Angelil, who discovered her and nurtured her incredible career, died of throat cancer at age 73 on January 14, 2016.
Her tribute to Angelil came after sources told Page Six in December that her latest album quickly falling off the charts alarmed those around her and sparked concern about her friendship with backup dancer/creative director Pepe Munoz.
The superstar's "Courage" album debuted at number one but then made bad history by falling out of the top 100 — the biggest fall off the charts after a number one debut, according to Chart Data.
“She’s upset. All hell has broken loose. The only reason she sold 100,000 was because of the whole bundle thing that labels do, but she only sold around 3,000 the second week,” a source told Page Six at the time.
According to the publication, those close to Dion said that her relationship with her best pal Munoz has raised eyebrows.
Multiple sources claimed to Page Six that Munoz helped oust some of her senior team and isolated her.
A rep for Dion did not comment on the report last month.
But similar claims that first surfaced about Munoz in July 2019 have been previously denied by Dion's management and marketing team. They have said, “These ‘sources’ have nothing better to do than to spread untrue gossip.”
Rumors flew that Munoz, 34, was actually Dion's boyfriend, but she has denied that.
The songbird told Extra in 2018, "Pepe is gay. At first, I think some people did not know that. The thing is that he's my best friend and we dance together and he did so much for me and even just holding my hand… it's something that I haven't had for a long time. He did so much for me, for my mental health, my spirituality, my strength ― my inner strength."
Dion needed support after losing Angelil, a former singer-turned-manager who received an audiotape of Dion singing at age 12 from her mother.
"At that time I had been in the business for 20 years," Angelil told the AP in 1991. "In those 20 years, I had never heard or had a feeling come out of someone like this little girl I had in front of me. I had shivers all over, you know."
For the past four years, Dion has gone on with her career while still missing Angelil.
Last year, she bid a fond farewell to Las Vegas after 16 years of performing there and then launched a smash hit world concert tour.
Another insider told Page Six, “She is having so much success, and it’s just mean to rehash these Pepe stories. She is living her best life. She had a horrible thing happen to her in her life, and she is out here doing her best. Her tour is doing great. She’s looking great and she is doing great. All the rest is bulls***.”
Dion has said she still gets strength from Angelil, with whom she had three sons, René-Charles, 18, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 9.
"Even after he's gone, I still talk to him," Celine revealed in an emotional interview with Stellar magazine.
But the widow has also bravely said, "I have to stand tall and strong because this is my way of living…."