Two voices. One legendary songwriter. A massive, sweeping orchestral arrangement that feels like it belongs in a 1950s Technicolor epic.
Honestly, they don’t make them like this anymore.
When you listen to Tell Him by Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand today, it feels like a time capsule. It was 1997. The world was obsessed with big, soaring ballads. We were all crying over Titanic, and the radio was dominated by singers who could actually, you know, sing.
But this wasn't just another pop song. It was a tactical meeting of the minds. You had Streisand, the undisputed queen of the old guard, and Dion, the French-Canadian powerhouse who was currently conquering every square inch of the planet.
It was a hand-off. A coronation. A massive flex.
The Weird, Wonderful Origin of Tell Him by Celine Dion
Most people think this was some corporate boardroom invention. It kinda was, but the spark was actually quite human.
Barbra Streisand saw Celine Dion perform "I Finally Found Someone" at the Oscars earlier that year. Celine was filling in for Natalie Cole on short notice. Barbra was impressed. She sent Celine a note—a real, handwritten note—basically saying, "I watched you, you were great, let's do something together."
Can you imagine getting that note? If you're Celine, you don't say no. You drop everything.
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The song itself was penned by the "Ballad Kings": David Foster, Linda Thompson, and Walter Afanasieff. If those names sound familiar, it’s because they basically owned the 90s. They wrote everything that made you cry in your car during that decade.
Recording it was its own saga. These are two perfectionists. They didn't just mail in their vocals from separate cities. They were in the room together. They were watching each other. They were competing, even if they won't admit it. You can hear it in the track. When the bridge hits, and they start trading those high notes? That's not just "performing." That's two of the greatest athletes of the vocal cords trying to out-leap each other.
Why the Song Actually Works (And Why Some People Hate It)
Music critics in the late 90s were often brutal toward Tell Him by Celine Dion. They called it "saccharine." They called it "over-the-top."
They weren't wrong. It is those things. But that’s exactly why it’s a masterpiece.
The song operates on a level of emotional maximalism that we've largely lost in the Spotify era. Everything today is lo-fi, chill, or "vibe-focused." Tell Him by Celine Dion is the opposite of a vibe. It is a demand for your attention.
The lyrics are simple. It's advice. One woman (presumably the more experienced Barbra) is telling the younger woman (Celine) to just be honest with the guy she loves. It’s a bit dated, sure. The idea that a woman’s primary struggle is finding the courage to speak to a man feels a little 19th-century. But the emotion is universal. Fear of rejection doesn't go out of style.
One thing that gets overlooked is the technical difficulty. Try singing this at karaoke. Seriously. Most people crash and burn by the second verse. The way Celine handles the lower register in the beginning, only to explode into that crystalline head voice later, is a masterclass. And Barbra? Her tone is like warm butter. It’s the contrast that makes it.
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The Production: A David Foster Masterpiece
David Foster is a polarizing figure in music. Some see him as the man who ruined pop with "Adult Contemporary" gloss. Others see him as a genius who understands the architecture of a hit.
On Tell Him by Celine Dion, Foster went all in.
He used a full orchestra. He layered the vocals so they sound like they’re coming from the heavens. He knew exactly when to pull back the piano to let a single breath be heard. It's "theatrical pop."
It also marked a massive moment for Celine's Let's Talk About Love album. That record was a behemoth. It had "My Heart Will Go On." It had the Bee Gees collab. It had the Luciano Pavarotti duet. But "Tell Him" was the anchor for the "diva" crowd. It proved Celine wasn't just a pop star; she was a vocalist of the highest order, capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a legend like Streisand.
The Cultural Impact: More Than Just a Chart Hit
The song didn't actually hit Number One in the US (partly due to how singles were released and tracked back then), but it was a Top 10 smash globally. In the UK, Ireland, and across Europe, it was inescapable.
But its real legacy is in the "Diva Duet" trope.
Before "Tell Him," the idea of two massive female superstars collaborating was rare. There was "Enough is Enough" (Streisand and Donna Summer), but that was disco. "Tell Him" created a blueprint for the "Power Ballad Duet." You can see its DNA in everything from Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey’s "When You Believe" to modern attempts at powerhouse pairings.
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It also solidified Celine's image as the "Good Girl" of pop. While other stars were leaning into the burgeoning "Edgy 2000s" look, Celine stayed firmly in the camp of classic elegance. This song helped bridge the gap between grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Recording
There’s a persistent myth that Celine and Barbra didn't get along. People love a "diva feud" narrative.
In reality, the respect was immense. Celine has often talked about how nervous she was. She grew up idolizing Streisand. For her, this wasn't a business transaction; it was a pilgrimage.
Barbra, for her part, was notoriously protective of her process. Yet, she allowed Celine into her world. If there was any friction, it was the friction of two diamonds rubbing together. It only made the final product shinier.
The music video reflects this. It’s simple. Two women in a studio. No flashy effects. Just them, the microphones, and the music. It’s almost intimate, which is a weird thing to say about a song that sounds like it could power a small city.
How to Truly Appreciate Tell Him Today
If you want to revisit Tell Him by Celine Dion with fresh ears, don't just stream it on a tinny phone speaker. Do it right.
- Find a high-quality source. This song was mixed for big speakers. You need to hear the separation between the strings and the vocals.
- Listen to the "hand-offs." Notice how they finish each other's sentences. It’s incredibly tight phrasing that required hours of rehearsal to get that seamless.
- Watch the live performance. While they didn't perform it together often (Barbra is famously stage-shy), the few instances where Celine has performed it solo or with other guests show just how much "work" the song does.
- Ignore the cheese. Yes, it's sentimental. Lean into it. Sometimes it's okay for music to be about big, unironic feelings.
The era of the "Big Ballad" might be over in the mainstream, but "Tell Him" remains the high-water mark. It represents a moment in time when the voice was the only special effect that mattered. Whether you love the drama or find it a bit much, you can't deny the sheer, unadulterated talent on display.
Next time you're feeling a bit unsure about a big life decision or a relationship, put this on. Let the strings swell. Let the voices soar. It might just give you the push you need to, well, tell him.
The most effective way to experience the legacy of this track is to compare it to the "Vocalist" era of the late 90s. Look up the 1998 VH1 Divas Live concert. While Barbra wasn't there, Celine was, and you can see the same energy she brought to the duet—that relentless, Olympic-level commitment to every note. It’s a reminder that before the "Influencer" era of music, there was the "Vocalist" era, and Tell Him by Celine Dion was its crowning achievement.