CELINE Dion commendably has stuck to her guns and throughout her career has alternated her commercially friendly English language albums with work in her mother tongue of French.

Understandably, many even hardcore British Dion fans tend to ignore the French sets, in that they are primarily intended for audiences in Canada and European Francophone countries. However, if there is one French language Dion album worth investigating, this is it.

Sadly, during the recording process, Celine’s husband and business manager Rene Angelil passed away. Evidently, Celine focused on work as part of the healing process, resulting in arguably the most beautiful album in her impressive canon.

In place of the usual thunderous power ballads, the audience is treated to a selection of passive, introspective and rewarding ballads. Indeed, the title track Encore Un Soir (meaning One More Night) which has the construction and feel of ABBA’s greatest moment, The Day Before You Came, is unquestionably a career highlight.

It is fitting that Celine Dion, who helped pave the way to success for Christine And The Queens, may reach her largest audience with a French album post Christine’s chart-topping Chaleur Humaine collection.