Céline Dion Condemns Donald Trump's "Unauthorized" Use of Her Song "My Heart Will Go On"

"...And really, THAT song?"

Celine Dion
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Singer and icon Célin Dion is speaking out after Republican nominee for president Donald Trump used one of her songs at a recent campaign rally.

On Friday, Aug. 9, during a rally for the former president and his vice presidential running mate Senator J.D. Vance in Montana, a video of the Canadian singer performing her hit 1997 song "My Heart Will Go On," NBC News reports.

In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Dion's team called the use of the video and song "unauthorized," going on to say they became aware that Trump used the song on Saturday, Aug. 10.

"Today, Celine Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized usage of the video, recording, musical performance, and likeness of Celine Dion singing “My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign rally in Montana," the statement read.

"In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use," the statement continued. "…And really, THAT song?"

For those who do not recall, the 1997 hit ballad was the theme song to the history-making film "Titanic," which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and centered around a love story during the sinking of the Titanic.

(Which made the song selection during a political rally somewhat questionable.)

As NBC News notes, Dion and her team speaking out and condemning the Trump presidential campaign is not the first time a musician has objected to the former president using their song.

In 2016, the news outlet notes, The Rolling Stones released a similar statement after Trump's first presidential campaign played their hit song "Start Me Up" at a rally.

The band's said in part that they "never gave permission to do so," NBC reports," and ordered the Trump campaign to "cease all use immediately."

This handout released by the Olympic Broadcasting Services, shows a view of singer Celine Dion performing on the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images)

This handout released by the Olympic Broadcasting Services, shows a view of singer Celine Dion performing on the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France. (Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In 2018, singer and entrepreneur Rihanna also sent a similar statement after Trump's team played "Don't Stop the Music" at another rally, NBC News reports.

“Me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies,” the musician said at the time.

Neil Young, Steven Tyler from the band Aerosmith, and Adele have also publicly criticized Trump and his team for using their songs during political rallies without permission or authorization.

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.