Courage (Celine Dion song)
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Courage
| type = single
| artist = Celine Dion
| album = Courage
| cover =
| released = {{Start date|2019|9|18|df=yes}}
| studio =
- AIR Studios (London, England)
- Maison de Musique (Santa Monica, CA)
- Studio at the Palms (Las Vegas, NV)
| genre = Pop
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=14}}
| label = Columbia
| writer =
| producer = Stephan Moccio
| prev_title = Lying Down
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Set My Heart on Fire
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|WN-ZHOHmvcw|"Courage"}}}}
}}
"Courage" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion from her twelfth English-language studio album, Courage (2019). It was written by Stephan Moccio, Erik Alcock and Liz Rodrigues, and produced by Moccio. "Courage" was released as a digital download on 18 September 2019. On the same day, Dion embarked on her Courage World Tour, where she performed the song. "Courage" entered the sales charts in Canada and France, and received positive reviews from music critics. The black and white music video premiered on 13 November 2019. In March 2020, the song was sent to radio in Quebec.
Background and release
"Courage" was written by Stephan Moccio, Erik Alcock and Liz Rodrigues. It was produced by Moccio, who previously co-wrote Dion's 2002 single, "A New Day Has Come".{{cite web|url=https://www.celinedion.com/discography/courage/|title=Courage|publisher=celinedion.com|accessdate=3 October 2019}} "Courage" is an emotional piano ballad, dealing with the loss of a loved one.{{cite web|url=https://abitofpopmusic.com/2019/09/19/single-review-celine-dion-imperfections-lying-down-courage/|title=Single Review: Céline Dion – Imperfections / Lying Down / Courage|date=19 September 2019|publisher=abitofpopmusic.com|accessdate=13 November 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7882451/new-songs-celine-dion-drops-imperfections-lying-down-courage?edge=1|title=New Music! Céline Dion Drops "Imperfections", "Lying Down" & "Courage"|author=Mike Wass|publisher=Idolator|date=18 September 2019|accessdate=13 November 2019|archive-date=16 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216025022/https://www.idolator.com/7882451/new-songs-celine-dion-drops-imperfections-lying-down-courage?edge=1|url-status=dead}} Together with "Imperfections" and "Lying Down", the song was released as a digital download on 18 September 2019, the day Dion started her Courage World Tour, promoting the Courage album.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8530292/celine-dion-singles-courage-lying-down-imperfections|title=Celine Dion Triples Down With 'Courage' Title Track, Plus New Singles 'Lying Down' & 'Imperfections': Listen|author=Rania Aniftos|magazine=Billboard|date=18 September 2019|accessdate=13 November 2019}}
Critical reception
The song received positive critical reviews. According to A Bit of Pop Music, "Courage" has a very personal content. It is a piano and strings based emotional power ballad, dealing with the loss of a person close to you. With the death of her husband René Angélil in 2016, "Courage" must be close to Dion's heart and she sings it with emotive vocals and a lot of passion. Mike Wass from Idolator described "Courage" as a simple piano ballad that lets Dion pull the vocal trigger as she shares important life lessons. It is raw and very emotional.
Commercial performance
After being released as a digital download on 18 September 2019, "Courage" debuted on several sales charts and reached number two in Quebec and number 20 in Canada. In March 2021, it was serviced to the contemporary hit radio in Quebec, where it peaked at number three.
Music video
The audio of "Courage" was uploaded on YouTube on 18 September 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2lhb9IaRK8|title=Céline Dion - Courage (Official Audio)|via=YouTube|date=18 September 2019|accessdate=13 November 2019}} The music video, directed by Se Oh and filmed entirely in black and white, premiered on 13 November 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN-ZHOHmvcw|title=Céline Dion - Courage (Official Video)|via=YouTube|date=13 November 2019|accessdate=13 November 2019}} Kai Krause worked on it as a cinematographer and Marco Venditto as a lighting director. The video was produced by Mad Ruk Entertainment and Telescope Films.
Credits and personnel
{{Div col}}
- Stephan Moccio – producer, composer, lyricist, piano, keyboards, background vocal
- Erik Alcock – composer, lyricist
- Liz Rodrigues – composer, lyricist
- TommyD – string session co-producer
- Jay Paul Bicknell – background vocal, engineer
- Kylen Deporter – background vocal, engineer
- Wired Strings – strings
- Rosie Danvers – string arranger
- Nick Taylor – engineer
- François Lalonde – recording engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing engineer
- John Hanes – assistant engineer
- Rob Katz – assistant engineer
- Vlado Meller – mastering engineer
- John McL. Doelp – executive producer
{{Div col end}}
Charts
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ "Courage" release history ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
| scope="row"| Various
| 18 September 2019 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2" | Columbia | {{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/courage-deluxe-edition/1480315784|title=Courage (Deluxe Edition)|publisher=Apple Music|accessdate=13 November 2019}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Quebec
| 3 March 2020 |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Celine Dion songs}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Songs written by Stephan Moccio