AMERICA’S Got Talent alum Wyn Starks became emotional when he found out that his original song Who I Am was featured in Celine Dion’s new documentary.
The singer revealed how Celine’s team reached out to him in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun.
Wyn, who auditioned for and made it to the semi-finals in Season 17, said that he didn’t even know if his song was going to be featured in the movie before it came out.
“Her team reached out to me and said that Celine listens to Who I Am for inspiration,” he said.
Wyn also said that Celine’s team said that his original song helped her cope with her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis.
“And so, it was just a very surreal moment for me because to know somebody that has inspired me so much as a vocalist and artist, and whose music has helped me get through things, and now I’m able to do that for them. That’s a dream.”
“It’s like winning an award, and that’s what it felt like honestly. To have that stamp of approval from a legend like that was like winning an award,” he went on.
‘I WAS BAWLING!’
Wyn said that he didn’t know how Who I Am was going to be featured in the documentary.
After he didn’t hear anything for a while, the singer checked with his team to ask if it was still going to be in it because “things change.”
“I thought the song was going to be in the background. I never expected her to sing it,” Wyn said.
“And then, when I went and saw it, it was a huge surprise for me, especially because it was at such a heartbreaking moment in the documentary and a pivotal moment of the documentary. I couldn’t believe it.”
Wyn said that he got together with his co-writer on the song, Vanessa Campanar, and a few friends to watch I Am Celine Dion on Amazon Prime Video.
Celine Dion suffers painful spasms on floor while filming ‘tough’ scenes for heartbreaking new documentary
“We just looked at each other like, ‘Is this really happening?'” he said.
“Like we were holding each other’s hand and bawling, all of us in the room.”
“I was on vocal rest at this time, so I had to just be careful not to be overexerting my voice, which was really hard to do. But it was a really special moment. It still gets me emotional when I think about that,” Wyn said.
“Her strength and resilience are so amazing to see, and to see her singing again was amazing. She’s given hope to so many people who are even going through the same thing.”
To know somebody that has inspired me so much as a vocalist and artist, and whose music has helped me get through things, and now I’m able to do that for them. That’s a dream.
Wyn Starks
Wyn also went to see the movie during an early release after people reached out to him and said that the moment his song was in the documentary was “one of the most impactful parts” of it.
“To see it with my own eyes was something really special,” he said.
Wyn said seeing his name in the credits was “surreal.”
REACHED OUT TO HIM
When asked if Celine, 56, reached out to him after the film came out, Wyn said “not yet.”
What is stiff person syndrome?
Celine Dion stepped out of the spotlight after she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition
Stiff person syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that progresses over time.
The condition causes pain and muscle spasms that worsen over the years.
The condition is characterized by “progressive stiffness and painful spasms in the back and limbs, which are often triggered by touch, noise or anxiety, and exacerbated by movement,” per Contact A Family, a charity for families of children with disabilities.
There is currently no cure, but death from the condition is rare.
Strong spasms in the chest can sometimes cause difficulty breathing.
However, he wrote a post about it and said that the singer reposted him and said thank you.
The director, Irene Taylor, did reach out to Wyn and wrote him a sweet message.
“She talked about how they always had that in mind of the direction of where they wanted to go with the doc. Celine insisted on that scene staying in the movie,” he said.
“It gets me emotional when I think about it. It’s a dream come true.”
WYN ON AGT
Wyn auditioned for AGT in 2022 on Season 17.
He sang his original song, Who I Am, which was dedicated to his twin brother who had died.
The judges were in tears by the end of this audition and all gave him yeses.
Sofia Vergara said she related to his experience because her brother had also died.
“Being able to connect with Sofia was a really special moment for me on the show and really healing,” he said.
“The song ended up turning into a song that helped people get through grief. Other twins were reaching out to me, other people who had lost their loved ones, and that was really healing for me to be able to connect with those people.”
Her strength and resilience are so amazing to see, and to see her singing again was amazing. She’s given hope to so many people who are even going through the same thing.
Wyn Starks
Wyn made it through to the semi-finals, which he almost missed after contracting Covid-19, and sang a cover of Benson Boone’s In the Stars.
Sadly, he did not make it past that round and was eliminated.
Wyn said that he sort of regretted not singing an original for the second round, but knew he made the right choice to audition for the competition show.
Now the singer is gearing up to release a new album, which is set to be released at the beginning of 2025.
Wyn is also releasing the title track to his album, Happy Again, on September 20.
Who I Am is available to stream or buy on all digital platforms.
