Celine Dion opens up about her unique pre-show ritual involving her late husband

Celine Dion was devastated by the sudden loss of her husband René Angélil in 2016 – but she's found a way to still spend a moment with her longtime love before each performance. The French-Canadian singer recently revealed that she has a pre-show ritual that involves a bronze replica of her late partner's hand.

Celine opened up about this unique custom to the Australian magazine Stellar, saying, "I shake my husband's hand and knock on wood with him every night before every show. Even after he's gone." She continued, "I still talk to him. I'm trying to prove to him every day I'm fine. Our kids are growing, we feel strong. We're good." René even has a special seat at every one of her concerts, she explained, telling the magazine that he used to sit at the back of the sound stage.

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The Canadian chanteuse, who turns 50 on 30 March, has three children with René – René-Charles, 17, and seven-year-old twins Nelson and Eddy. And while the family has lived through a tremendous loss, they still find the strength to enjoy their lives and embrace every curveball. The mother of three recently celebrated her eldest son's 17th birthday on 25 January, commemorating the special day with a heartwarming post that said: "I love you more and more each day, and I'm so proud of the young man that you've become."

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© Photo: Getty Images

Despite the rollercoaster few years she's endured, Celine has not slowed down. She's long been performing in Las Vegas in her residency at Caesars Palace, and now the star is embarking on an Asia Pacific tour this year – including her first stop in Australia in a decade and her first trip to New Zealand in 20 years. After her whirlwind European tour in the summer of 2017, during which the singer and stylist Law Roach proved that she’s just as much a fashion force as a musical powerhouse, Celine is ready to hit the road - advocating for self-love at any age. "It's never too late to feel good about yourself, never too late to be presented as a best-dressed woman. It makes you feel really sexy and there’s no age limit on that." We couldn't agree more!

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