Celine Dion is sharing why “Tell Him,” her duet with Barbra Streisand, was a special one to make.
Ahead of the song’s 27th anniversary in November, Celine shared the memory in an Instagram post Friday. The song appeared on Celine’s Let’s Talk About Love album and Streisand’s Higher Ground album, both of which were released in 1997.
“Never in a million years would I have thought or had the guts to ask to sing a duet with Barbra Streisand. Never,” Celine began. “But somehow, through the persistence of David Foster (who could ask anything of anyone), this incredible opportunity fell into my lap.”
“I was just in complete admiration of her talent as an actress, as a singer, and as an icon,” she continued.
Celine wrote that she remembered feeling nervous about singing with Barbra and was in awe of her talent from the very start.
“She … can defeat everything vocally while I can barely hit certain notes,” she wrote. “She has such unparalleled vocal talent that I felt completely outmatched. But, I was determined to do justice to her song and to not disappoint her in any way.”
When they got to the studio to record the song, Celine recalled Barbra being “sweet, warm and welcoming.”
“She took me aside at one point as we were rehearsing, and I was like, ‘Oh… my… God.'”
“Performing this duet with Barbra was a career-defining, unforgettable experience,” Celine wrote. “I will always cherish that memory, and I can only hope that I was able to do justice to her incredible artistry.”
“I am so deeply honored to have collaborated with a true musical legend and the memory will live with me forever,” she added.
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