Céline Dion in “a State of Total Determination” Ahead of Paris Concerts

The Canadian diva begins her residency at La Défense Arena next week.

Céline Dion is heading back to the stage and anticipation is building. The Québec superstar arrived in Paris last week ahead of the first of 16 concerts at Paris La Défense Arena, beginning September 12. Ten additional performances are scheduled for May 2027, marking Dion’s first full concert run since stepping away from the stage amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome.

For Élisabeth Reynaud, the biographer behind the new book Céline Dion by Élisabeth Reynaud, there is little doubt about what is driving the singer as she prepares for her comeback. “She is in a state of total determination,” Reynaud told AFP.

This return to the stage comes with an intense rehearsal regimen, Reynaud says. Dion recently told fans outside her Paris hotel that she was conserving her energy to give them her best onstage, adding that she would not be spotted out and about in Paris in the coming weeks. For the singer, sightseeing can come later; the show comes first.

That work ethic has been central to Dion’s ascent from the Montréal suburb of Charlemagne to global superstardom. Reynaud describes her career as the product of extraordinary discipline rather than some effortless fairy tale.

Dion’s return comes with an obvious physical challenge, too. Stiff-person syndrome can cause muscle rigidity and spasms, forcing her to carefully manage her health while preparing for the demands of performing. She has continued with physical training and therapy as she works toward the concerts. Her last full concert was in March 2020. Since then, her only major live appearance came at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she delivered a show-stopping rendition of Édith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” from the Eiffel Tower.

Drake is doing well on the charts this year, but it looks like he's going after 2026's biggest hit so far.

At an appearance at a Toronto club this weekend, Drake previewed what appears to be a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” giving the country hit the Drizzy treament. In the brief clip circulating online, Drake can be heard crooning over the reworked production, following the melody of Langley’s original hook, though lyrics are hard to make out. Neither artist has announced a release date for the remix.

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Drake has been a vocal supporter of Langley's music, having first showed public interest in “Choosin’ Texas” earlier this year and playing the song during a Houston club set. In August, he responded to a video of Langley rapping along to his 2011 track “HYFR” by praising her songwriting, calling her pen “goated.”

Then, on Aug. 22, Drake turned up at Langley’s sold-out concert in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was filmed singing and dancing along to “Choosin’ Texas.” The two were photographed together backstage afterward.

“Choosin’ Texas” has been the defining song of 2026, spending 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and breaking record after record along the way. It is now tied for the longest-running No. 1 in the chart’s history among non-holiday songs.

Dolly Parton was laid to rest after a private funeral in Nashville, the country legend’s family said, days after her death at the age of 80.

The singer’s great-niece Lainey Parton — who referred to Dolly as “Aunt Granny” — posted on social media Saturday, “I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”

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People reports that only immediate family attended the private funeral — “at Dolly’s request, a small, private service,” her reps previously said — at Nashville’s Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum, the same cemetery where Parton’s late husband Carl Dean was interred in a mausoleum in March 2025; the large plaque mounted on the mausoleum also had Parton’s name engraved on it before she died, as well as an engraving of her Sevier County, Tennessee home.

“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family,” Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum’s obituary said.

“Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, kindness, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”

Dolly Parton

The state of Tennessee has announced plans to rename the Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton following the death of the country legend earlier this week.

Both Governor Bill Lee and the Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) are aligned on a proposal to rebrand the Music City hub (airport code BNA) in honor of Parton, with a September 17 meeting scheduled to plan the next steps.

“Dolly Parton’s extraordinary life is forever woven into the fabric of our state,” Gov. Lee said in a statement. “From her rural mountain home in East Tennessee to global stages, Dolly carried the Volunteer Spirit with her. At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith, and kindness.”

“BNA is the front door to Music City, and with that comes a responsibility to reflect the very best of who we are as a community,” said Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority president and CEO Doug Kreulen added.

“Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life. She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status… That spirit is what defines BNA and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.”

If the name change happens, Parton would be only the second American musician — after Louis Armstrong in New Orleans — to have an airport named after them; the airport in Liverpool, England is named after John Lennon, while composers like Liszt, Mozart, and Chopin have airports in Budapest, Hungary, Salzburg, Austria, and Warsaw, Poland, respectively.

Parton would also become the first woman to have an American airport named after them. It’s unclear if Nashville’s airport code — BNA, a nod to the airport’s original name Berry Field plus Nashville Airport — will also change if its renamed to honor Parton.

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week, a Turnstile song gets the Elton John treatment, Erykah Badu and the Alchemist team up with Earl Sweatshirt for a soulful album highlight, and Natanael Cano gets the crowd on their feet with a corrido collab from his newest album. Plus, new songs from Billy Strings, Ice Spice, Olivia Rodrigo, Interpol, and Little Big Town.

Turnstile feat. Elton John, “Seein’ Stars: Elton John Version” (YouTube)

Natanael Cano, Gabito Ballesteros, Javier Rosas, “Nos Vamos De Dance” (YouTube)

Erykah Badu, The Alchemist, feat. Earl Sweatshirt “I Know That Man” (YouTube)

Billy Strings, “I Wish I Wanted To” (YouTube)

Ice Spice, Lil Yachty, “Out My Face (My Baby)” (YouTube)

Olivia Rodrigo, “Serena Joy” (YouTube)

AZ Chike feat. Tyler, the Creator, “Look Like My Mama” (YouTube)

Interpol, “Wings On Fire” (YouTube)

Alabama Shakes, “Time” (YouTube)

Sara Bareilles, “Just a Kid” (YouTube)

Prince, “Bestest Friend” (YouTube)

Flowerovlove “Debonair” (YouTube)

Little Big Town feat. Jason Isbell, “The Door” (YouTube)

Asher White, “White Castle Sad” (YouTube)

Ken Carson feat. Osamason, “Vamp City” (YouTube)

The Linda Lindas, “Everybody Told Me” (YouTube)

Mike D, “Make It Stop” (YouTube)

Alex Warren, “Wildchild” (YouTube)

ErisThePlanet feat. Rico Nasty, “8 Feet Tall” (YouTube)

Dahi feat. Kendrick Lamar, Amber Mark, “How to Pray” (YouTube)

Los Bitchos feat. Ambrose Kenny-Smith, “Holding Cell” (YouTube)

Liim, “Buttas On” (YouTube)

Todd Snider, “Solid Country Gold” (YouTube)

Imperial Teen, “All Over You” (YouTube)

Kam Franklin, “Pho For Breakfast” (YouTube)

Trim, “Get Hit” (YouTube)

Lex Walton, “Hipster Runoff” (YouTube)

Temper City, “Reverse Psychology” (YouTube)

The Olivia Tremor Control, “Advice From the Oceans” (YouTube)

The Prince Estate has released Timeless, a 10-track collection of rare and previously unreleased recordings that stretches from 1977 to 2016. Released Friday through The Prince Estate and Legacy Recordings, the compilation traces Prince’s career, with material rescued from his famously deep vault.

Timeless moves across almost the entirety of Prince’s recording career. The chronological tracklist begins with early material and travels through recordings from the ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and 2010s, ending with a live performance from 2016, the final year of his life.

The collection includes “Stone,” a previously unreleased track first unveiled in June. Written by Sandra St. Victor, Tom Hammer and Jules Van Even and recorded in 1995, the song offered an early glimpse of what was waiting inside the Vault.

Some of the other recordings reach much further back. “Tick Tick Bang” dates to 1981, while “Heaven” comes from 1985. The album also includes “The Guilty Ones,” recorded at Paisley Park in 2007 and now accompanied by an official video.

For longtime Prince fans, some of these recordings may sound familiar, as some portions of his expansive archive have circulated among collectors and bootleg traders for years. Timeless finally gives these songs an official release and, in many cases, a new place in the artist’s recorded legacy.