Representatives for Canadian singer Celine Dion said on Saturday that the use of her 1990s hit song “My Heart Will Go On” at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump was “unauthorized” and had not been given her permission.
“And really, THAT song?” Dion’s representatives cheekily asked in a statement released to the singer social media accounts.
A video clip of Dion performing the theme song from the 1997 movie “Titanic” was shown Friday night at a rally in Boseman, Montanaand has also been played at several previous Trump rallies.
According to the statement, “her management team and record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, became aware” Saturday “of the unauthorized use of the video, recording, musical performance and likeness of Celine Dion singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at 1 a.m. Donald Trump/JD Vance campaign rally in Montana.”
Representatives stressed that “in no way is this use permitted, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”
Artists requesting that Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, not play their music at his rallies is not a new issue. During his first presidential run in 2016, The Rolling Stones, AdeleNeil Young and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler everyone was begging Trump to stop playing his music on the campaign trail, which he did REM 2020.
To comply with copyright law, political campaigns must obtain a public performance license from organizations such as Broadcast Music Inc. or the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Songwriters and record companies usually sign blanket licensing agreements that give sports arenas and other venues the right to play their music.
The 56-year-old Dion gave one surprising performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony two weeks ago, her first since 2020. She revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed stiff-person syndrome.
Kate Gibson and
contributed to this report.