By Faris Tanyos
/ CBS News
Harris, Trump campaign for support in the West
Representatives for Canadian singer Celine Dion stated Saturday that the use of her hit 1990s song “My Heart Will Go On” at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump was “unauthorized” and had not received her permission.
“And really, THAT song?” Dion’s representatives asked cheekily in a statement posted to the singer’s 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, Montana, and 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 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.”
Representatives emphasized that in “no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”
Artists requesting that Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, not play their music at his rallies is not a new issue. During his first presidential run in 2016, the Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler all asked that Trump halt playing their music on the campaign trail, as did R.E.M. in 2020.
To be in compliance with copyright law, political campaigns must receive a public performance license from organizations like Broadcast Music Inc. or the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Songwriters and record labels typically sign blanket licensing agreements giving sports arenas and other venues the right to play their music.
The 56-year-old Dion gave a surprise performance at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics two weeks ago, her first since 2020. She revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome.
Kate Gibson and Reena Flores contributed to this report.
Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast.
