S Poddar
Celine Dion has called out former President Donald Trump after learning that her signature song, “My Heart Will Go On,” was played at one of his campaign rallies without her consent. That song, which became famous as the theme for the movie Titanic, was played at a rally in Bozeman, Montana, right before Trump went on stage. Enraged but with a tint of humor, Dion spoke out against this choice and said it was weird to hear.
In an angry statement Saturday, Dion made it clear that no permission was granted to use her music, likeness, or any performance. She and Sony record label said in the statement that she did not approve this use of the song and would not approve any like it in the future. She added wryly, “.And really, THAT song?” given its association with tragedy.
Others pointed out the irony that “My Heart Will Go On” would play at a rally, considering the song is literally about a sinking ship. That unfortunate symbolism did not miss a beat with commentators and social media users, who seized upon the ready metaphor for Trump’s campaign. The event took place just hours after Trump’s plane was diverted to Billings due to a mechanical issue, adding another layer of irony to the situation.
Political observers and social media users did not waste any time in responding to the music choice; many interpreted it as a metaphor for the struggling Trump campaign. What had once started off as a seemingly sure thing of a reelection campaign was now running out of steam, and the Titanic theme hammered that point home. Others even went so far as to speculate that its use might actually be some kind of internal sabotage—that someone is working against Trump from within the campaign.
Social media reactions ranged from humor to incredulity. “Omg, Trump’s rally in Montana is showing a video of Celine singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ from the film Titanic. Is the rally coordinator trolling Trump?” one response on Twitter said. One commenter pointed out the sour irony, saying, “Seems to me it’s a cry for help from a sinking ship. Has anyone checked on his campaign managers, are they being held hostage or maybe water boarded?”
The parallels that instantly linked this song to the ill-fated Titanic and Trump’s current campaign status were just too obvious. Others joked that Trump’s campaign was in denial, much the same way that people on the Titanic were trying to convince themselves that their ship was not sinking. One social media user even went as far as to take the trouble to make a meme, reimagining a scene from the 1997 film Titanic, with Trump and his proxy J.D. Vance as the lead characters, captioned with “Collide with failure. This November.”
The reason behind Dion’s very sharp response, and that of people in general, underscores the potent symbolism that can be drawn from cultural references like “My Heart Will Go On.” Making use of as strong a song as this during a political event, more so without the consent of the artist, is very weighty. This seems to have boomeranged in some manner by shifting attention not to the strength that Trump’s campaign holds but to its possible vulnerabilities.
The use of music and other cultural touchstones in campaigns is always a delicate balance that continues to shift and evolve with the political landscape. However, Celine Dion’s reaction acts as a real reminder that artists’ works shouldn’t be borrowed for political purposes without their permission—it has really unintended, at worst embarrassing, consequences.
