Celine Dion's Son Is All Grown-Up And Seriously Handsome
Celine Dion has made a name for herself as one of the greatest singers in history. Her earth-shattering vocals put her right up there with a few powerhouse divas, including the late Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Adele, and Beyoncé, to name a few. The singer was born in Quebec, Canada in 1968, and she is the youngest of fourteen children. By age 18, Dion had already recorded nine albums (via Biography). Her big break came in 1992 when she was tapped to record the theme from Disney's Beauty and the Beast alongside Peabo Bryson. And who could forget Dion's 1998 mega-hit "My Heart Will Go On," which was on the Billboard charts for an impressive 24 weeks? In her career, she has earned 16 Grammy nods and has brought home the trophy five times.
While Dion has enjoyed a remarkable career thus far, it's her family who brings her the most joy. In 2001, she and her late husband, René Angélil, welcomed their first child, René-Charles Angélil (via CNN). In 2010, the pair added twins Nelson and Eddy, making them a family of five. According to the BBC, the boys were born at a hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. However, six years later, René tragically lost his battle with throat cancer at 73 (per USA Today). Luckily, he lives on through his boys.
René-Charles has become famous in his own right, partly due to his insanely good looks. Let's take a look at how René-Charles came to be the heartthrob he is today.
René-Charles Angélil and his brothers are a result of Celine Dion's IVF treatments
Celine Dion has never been shy about the hardships of getting pregnant. The singer and her late husband, René Angélil, used IVF to welcome their three kiddos, but the journey was not always easy. According to People, Dion and Angélil froze sperm in 1999 after he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, and there was concern over side effects of chemo and radiation hindering their chances of conceiving. A year later, Dion took a hiatus from performing to "chill out, and discover new things" and begin her family.
After just one IVF treatment at the age of 33, Dion found out that she was pregnant with René-Charles. The second time around was not as successful. According to the Daily Mail, Dion suffered a miscarriage between the birth of René-Charles and the twins. It took six IVF treatments before Dion found out that she was pregnant with Nelson and Eddy Angélil. "She was hoping for one baby, and the news that we are having two is a double blessing," her husband shared at the time.
Celine Dion revealed the crazy story behind René-Charles Angélil's birth
Considering the fact that Celine Dion is one of the most popular musical artists on the planet, it's no surprise that her first son's birth was headline news. In an interview during the "Carpool Karaoke" segment of The Late Late Show with James Corden, Dion revealed the crazy way she welcomed René-Charles into the world. "I'm delivering my first child, I don't even have him in my arms yet," Dion revealed. "I look to the left, and there's a TV there, and the doctor is announcing, live on television, a beautiful healthy boy, 7 pounds 8 ounces. I'm saying to myself, 'My baby is on television, and I didn't even hold him yet.'"
Dion said that she had to turn the television off since she was so unsettled with how the media handled it. However, this was not the first time that something like that happened. In the same interview, the singer also shared that her wedding was broadcast live on Canadian television. But hey, what can one really expect when you're one of the most famous people in the world?
René-Charles Angélil was incredibly strong at René Angélil's funeral
René-Charles Angélil lost his father, René Angélil, a few days prior to his 15th birthday. At the televised funeral, René-Charles was a rock for his mother and two brothers, per People. René-Charles was also brave enough to stand at the podium and deliver a moving eulogy to honor his dad. He used a mix of English and French as he thanked everyone who was watching and sharing in their grief. "Fifteen years is not a long time for a son to get to know his father," he shared in the heart-wrenching eulogy. "You had a busy life, but we were communicating through golf, hockey, poker, and smoked meat ... and a lot of other wonderful food, bonding more and more as time went by."
René-Charles also made sure that his father knew he left him with "enough good memories" to share with his twin brothers, Nelson and Eddy. He also promised to pass on what he learned from his father before he ended his speech with more touching words. "You are a tough act to follow, but with your help, everything's gonna be fine," he said. "Dad, I promise you here that we're all going to live up to your standards."
René-Charles Angélil is following in Celine Dion's footsteps
René-Charles Angélil and Celine Dion share more than just a mother and son bond, as René-Charles has followed in his mom's career path. Early in 2021, People shared that the singer announced the release of René-Charles' EP, and she was beaming with pride. "I'm so proud of my son," she shared on her Instagram Stories. "My love for him is so strong, and it touches me deeply that one of his passions is also one of mine." The hip-hop EP titled Casino.5 included a few tracks, including "Money, Thrills, and Rest," "NO Ls," and "Mamba Mentality," which is presumably a nod to the late Kobe Bryant.
According to The Montreal Gazette, René-Charles, who goes by "Big Tip," started streaming music on SoundCloud in 2017. He did not tell his mom until his songs topped the Canadian SoundCloud R&B charts, however. In an interview with the paper, René-Charles admitted that he "messed up" by not sharing his project with his mom, but he said that she was impressed. "But she loved it. She was just kind of stunned at first, because she'd never heard anything from me," he confessed. "It was kind of a weird conversation: 'Ma, I'm No. 1 and No. 2 on the charts right now.' She was like: 'Why didn't you tell me first?' But she's very supportive of my passion for this."
Fans can follow the handsome 20-year-old on his Instagram page as the swoon-worthy up-and-comer launches what's sure to be an impressive music career.