“My mother was an amazing woman. Along with my father, she raised 14 children. We didn’t have any money growing up, but our house was rich with love and affection,” says Celine.  “She was a great musician, and she loved to sing. She wrote my very first song. She was an amazing cook. She was incredibly funny and loved to laugh. She was my hero. I miss her so much…we all do!”

The loss of Celine’s mother comes after her two devastating losses in 2016: Her husband and her brother died within a few days of each other, both from cancer.  Celine talks to People about how she’s been able to overcome all that heartbreak.

“I feel good these days,” she says. “It’s no secret that I’ve gone through some tough times…Music can be a healing force, and the songs on my new album [Courage] have helped me find new strength in my life… and perhaps a bit more independence…I’ve got sole responsibility for my children, and you find out more things about yourself when you’re in that situation.”

In fact, Celine says her kids are “the biggest source of my healing,” adding, “the most important job I have is to be the best mother I can for my children.” 

Being the best mother she can is also Celine’s main goal for the future, but she also has a couple related to her career.

“I want to continue my pursuit of dancing,” she says. “And, I’d love to do some acting one of these days, make a movie — I think that would be fun, and I’d like to give it a shot.”

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.