
Roger-Luc Chayer (Photo: Trump rally)
Céline Dion made a rare media appearance to express her anger and disapproval regarding the use of her image and songs by Donald Trump’s campaign team during the American elections.
On Saturday, August 10, at a rally supporting Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election in November in the United States, the song « My Heart Will Go On, » the famous theme from the film Titanic, was used. In addition to the soundtrack, Trump’s team also used footage of Céline singing as well as clips from the film.
Céline Dion and her label, Sony Music Canada, immediately issued the following statement on the singer’s X account: « Today, Céline Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized use of the video, recording, musical performance, and image of Céline Dion singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign rally in Montana.
Such use is in no way authorized, and Céline Dion does not endorse this or any similar use… And really, THIS song? », implying that the song reflects Trump’s presidential campaign, which seems to be facing obstacles in recent weeks and heading towards a debacle.
What are Céline Dion’s Political Views?
Céline Dion is known for being discreet about her political opinions. She generally avoids publicly engaging in political debates or supporting specific candidates, let alone the Republican Party in the United States.
Fair Use
In the copyright laws of most Berne Convention member countries, such as the United States and Canada, there are exceptions that allow for the use of copyrighted material for certain purposes. However, these exceptions are clearly defined and specific, and the use of copyrighted material for political purposes without authorization is not one of these exceptions. What does Canadian law say about fair use?
The concept of fair dealing, according to Canadian copyright law, permits the use of copyrighted material without authorization in certain specific circumstances. These exceptions include purposes such as research, private study, criticism, review, news reporting, education, satire, and parody. The evaluation of fair dealing relies on several factors, including the purpose of the use, the nature of the work, the amount used, the effect of the use on the potential market for the work, and alternatives to the use. Fair dealing aims to balance the rights of copyright holders with the public’s need to access information and creative content.
Legal Actions
Donald Trump is known for repeatedly using copyrighted material without authorization in his political campaigns. Artists like The Rolling Stones, Queen, and Neil Young have publicly protested against the use of their music at Trump’s rallies. Additionally, Isaac Hayes’ estate has filed a lawsuit against Trump’s campaign for the unauthorized use of the song « Hold On, I’m Comin’ » at rallies, highlighting repeated cases of copyright infringement by the campaign. These unauthorized uses have led to legal actions and public protests from various artists and their representatives.
In the case of Neil Young, a judge ruled that Trump did not qualify for fair use of the artist’s work under the law. Regarding the Isaac Hayes estate, it had requested $3 million for the unauthorized use of the song « Hold On, I’m Comin’ » at several political rallies.
Two days after the events involving Céline, it is not yet known what the artist or her production company will decide regarding potential legal actions.