Celine Dion performed “Hymne à L’Amour” in a tribute to Paris at the 2015 American Music Awards on Sunday, after an introduction from Jared Leto. Check out the video below.
It was just over a week ago that the French city was rocked by multiple terrorist attacks, which left 130 people dead and hundreds more injured. France is still in a state of mourning, and Dion is among the mourners. Born in Canada and of French-Canadian descent, the music legend began her career as a French-language artist.
Dion’s special performance was just announced on Friday. In a statement, AMAs producer Larry Klein said, “We felt it was important to show our solidarity in light of the recent events in Paris and all around world. Celine’s performance will help us express our feelings through song when words do not suffice.”
“Hymne à L’Amour,” which translates to “Hymn To Love,” is an iconic song originally released by Edith Piaf in 1950. There have been a number of English-language performances over the years, from Bing Crosby and Shirley Bassey to Cyndi Lauper and Patti LaBelle.
In addition to Dion, other musicians have been performing tributes in honor of Paris, too. As Gossip Cop reported, Coldplay sang John Lennon’s “Imagine” the night of the tragedy. And earlier this week, Adele did “Hometown Glory” at her Radio City Music Hall concert taping.
Watch Leto’s introduction and Dion’s performance in the video below.