#372: Tune in: Near, Far, Wherever You Are

Bonjour/Hi.

Some of you might understand the significance of the dual-language introduction and for the unfamiliar – long story short, language is an incredibly sensitive issue in Québec.

But before we really get into things, if you’re looking to stay on the up and up with life in Montréal, Québec, and beyond, check out our top Canadian podcast of the year, The Midnight Choir.

Current politicizations aside, the use, preservation, and elevation of Québec’s language and culture can go on to breed things like an entertainment industry as powerful as Hollywood but entirely distinct from everything Hollywood is about.

Québec’s entertainment system is something to marvel over and, lucky for you, you already know who its biggest export is.

The one, the only – the queen of the power ballad – Céline Marie Claudette Dion.

In Understood: Céline, Thomas Leblanc treats us to a true mélange of fame, fortune, and the cultural mechanics that went on to create a global icon.

Though it might not be the first thing you think of when imagining Céline’s start, Understood: Céline guides you through the complex cultural, political, and economic dynamics that contributed to her ascension.

As perhaps only a Francophone Québecer could assert, Leblanc explores how Céline balanced being Americanized without losing her Québécois roots—a tightrope act that’s almost as dramatic as one of her key changes.

Peppered with personal anecdotes, thoughtful analysis, and a delicate and multi-lingual touch of wit, the series invites you to reimagine Céline as not just Canada’s pop queen but also a fascinating and perseverant figure crafted by a web of strategic decisions.

As you tune in, you’ll come to learn that there's always going to be a mix of admiration and criticism that comes with Céline's power and presence. Understood: Céline encourages you to think about her fame alongside the people and the society that almost needed her to reach the pinnacles of global fame.

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