Taking Chances
Celine Dion

Release date: 11/12/2007 in Europe, 11/13/2007 USA

How would you feel about singing the same songs all over again for five years every night? I guess you'd feel like trying something new. Taking Chances is all about new.

"A New Day" is dead, longlive a new day! Celine's soldout Las Vegas engagement at the Caesar's Palace is over. The diva is ready again to travel the world, to conquer the music charts and see her fans in the four corners of the world. To be able to do it Celine invited songwriters and producers from different walks of music world to contribute to her post-Vegas album. She clearly wanted to see what was out there, wanted to try new things.

Recorded mainly over a three-week period in July 2007 at Palm Studios in Las Vegas, Taking Chances finds Celine collaborating with a group of today''s top songwriters and producers including Linda Perry (Pink, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera), the Eurythmics'' Dave Stewart, ex-Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody, chart-topping R&B/pop songwriter Ne-Yo, John Shanks (Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson), Kara DioGuardi (Pink, Kelly Clarkson, "One Heart"), Kristian Lundin (Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC), Anders Bagge and Peer Astrom (Bagge & Astrom: Take That, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Santana, Madonna), Aldo Nova, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart (Rihanna, Usher) and Chris Neil (Mike & the Mechanics).

The title

Taking Chances, the first single and the title track from the album, is the essence of Celine's entire music career. It sure bears a reference to Las Vegas and gambling. Both of which are Celine's husband and manager Rene Angelil's passion. Rene Angelil's risk-taking gambling attitude gave Celine her chance to become what she is now, a world bestselling recording artist. At the time Rene Angelil gambled big and invested all he had including his house to be able to produce Celine's first record. It paid off handsomely. The show has been going on since then.

Music

Celine's signature ballads are mixed with sweet euro-pop track (Shadow of Love), a rock track (Can't Fight This Feelin), piano whispering solo (Skies of L.A.) and even one Middle Eastern inspired melody (Eyes on Me), probably a tribute to Rene's Syrian-Canadian origins. Here’s the track list:

Surprises

The main surprise was to see them pick an existing song and make it to an album title. Taking Chances is a hit written and sang a while ago by Platinum Weird.

Then, the diversity of authors and composers collaborating on this album is interesting. It looks like Rene was aiming at creating a hit album from the start by putting a multi-style portfolio of tracks in one album.

Photographs

The photographer of the Taking Chances photoshoot is Ruven Afanador. It's interesting to what extent Ruven Afanador loves big hair. On the cover of Taking Chances Celine has quite a coiffure. If you go to Ruven' website you'll see a bunch of other A-list celebrities in his portfolio wearing oversized hairdos. Gotta be one and the same hair/make up artist Ruven works with on all his shoots. Or, Ruven is obsessed with big hair there :)

• Ruven Afanador's web site

Overall rating - 9/10

Taking Chances is a fun and diverse album. Fans will be able to find the Celine they know and love, as well as new rhythms and raw vocals. A must have!

Reviewed by: celinedreams.com

Taking Chances
Celine's English album

Release date: November 2007