A New Day Has Come is the eighteenth studio album and seventh English-language album by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was released by Columbia Records and Epic Records on March 25, 2002. The album marked her return to recording after a two-year break following the birth of her first child in 2001. For this project, Dion worked with many producers, including Anders Bagge and Peer Åström, who were new collaborators.

The album received mixed reviews from critics. Some said it showed a different style than her previous work, while others felt the songs were not very unique. Commercially, A New Day Has Come was very successful. It reached number one in more than 17 countries. In the United States, it sold 3.3 million copies and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. In Canada, it was certified six times platinum for selling 600,000 copies. The IFPI gave it a triple platinum certification for selling 3 million copies across Europe. Worldwide sales total about 12 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century.

The first single, "A New Day Has Come," was released in March 2002 and reached the top 10 in Canada and several European countries. In the United States, it reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at number one for 21 weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, which was a record. The second single, "I'm Alive," released in August 2002, also reached the top 10 in many European countries. The final commercial single, "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," released in November 2002, had moderate success and entered the top 40 in parts of Europe.

Background

After the goodbye concert for the year 2000 on December 31, 1999, in Montreal, Dion took a two-year break from public life to care for her family. On January 25, 2001, she gave birth to her first son, René-Charles Angélil. During this time, she made a few public appearances, including on September 21, 2001, when she sang "God Bless America" live at the America: A Tribute to Heroes telethon, which honored people affected by the September 11 attacks. She also performed "L'amour existe encore" at a charity event called A Show for Life in Montreal on September 28, 2001.

Dion said the album title A New Day Has Come represented a new part of her life and career. She explained that the events of September 11 deeply influenced her, and she wanted the album’s lyrics to remind people of the tragedy. Dion also had difficulty choosing an image for the album cover, believing that a photo showing her personal happiness might not be appropriate. She suggested to Sony Music that the cover not include her picture. After discussions, the photo shoot for A New Day Has Come happened in Montreal in late December 2001 with photographer Melvin Sokolsky. Another photo session took place on January 30 and 31, 2002, on a beach near Dion’s home in Florida with photographer Patrick Demarchelier. The album cover, taken by Demarchelier, was released on February 28, 2002.

René Angélil, Dion, and Sony Music staff chose possible songs for the album in early 2001. On August 28, 2001, Dion began recording singing parts for nearly 24 songs at Montreal’s Piccolo Studios. Because she did not want to leave her seven-month-old baby, the album’s collaborators traveled to Montreal. The album was planned for international release on March 25, 2002, and for North America on March 26, 2002.

Content

The album was created with the help of many producers who had worked with Dion before, including Walter Afanasieff, Kristian Lundin, Andreas Carlsson, Christopher Neil, Guy Roche, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Ric Wake, Aldo Nova, Simon Franglen, and Humberto Gatica. New people who worked on the album included Swedish musicians Anders Bagge, Peer Åström, and Arnthor Birgisson, French singer Gérald de Palmas, and US producer Steve Morales. The album A New Day Has Come includes Dion's common themes of love and hope. It has ballads, several upbeat pop songs, and two classic songs. The North American version has 16 songs, while international versions have 17 songs, including an extra track called "Super Love."

The album's title song, "A New Day Has Come," was inspired by the birth of Dion's child and was meant to show listeners that they can find strength in difficult times. Other songs include "I'm Alive," written by the same team that created "That's the Way It Is"; "I Surrender," the main ballad on the album; "Sorry for Love," a dance song written and produced by a Swedish team and co-written by Kara DioGuardi; "Have You Ever Been in Love," a powerful ballad written and produced by Bagge and Åström; "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," a sad ballad about losing a mother that Dion first heard three years earlier but refused to record at the time; "Nature Boy," a 1947 song made famous by Nat King Cole, performed with only piano music after planned orchestration was not added; "At Last," a song with gospel-style music first recorded by Glenn Miller in 1941; "Ten Days," a rock-style version of "Tomber" (2000) by Gérald de Palmas, added at the last minute after Dion heard the French original; "The Greatest Reward," a version of "L'envie d'aimer" (2000) from the French musical Les Dix Commandements, originally performed by Daniel Lévi; and "Aun Existe Amor," a Spanish-language version of Dion's French song "L'amour existe encore."

On November 11, 2002, in Europe, and November 19, 2002, in North America, Sony Music released a special version of A New Day Has Come. This version includes the original album, a bonus DVD with the "I'm Alive" music video, a preview of Dion's Las Vegas show A New Day…, and two songs not released before: "Coulda Woulda Shoulda" and "All Because of You." The North American special version also includes an extended version of "The Greatest Reward," which is 4 minutes and 4 seconds long instead of the original 3 minutes and 28 seconds. On January 29, 2008, Legacy Recordings released a collector's edition of A New Day Has Come with a bonus DVD. The CD includes the 16 songs from the North American version, including the extended version of "The Greatest Reward," and the DVD includes four music videos and behind-the-scenes footage from the album's creation and the "A New Day Has Come" music video.

Singles

The first single, "A New Day Has Come," was first played on the radio on February 6, 2002. The music video was filmed in mid-February 2002 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and directed by Dave Meyers. It was first shown on March 13, 2002, at the same time as the CD single was released internationally. "A New Day Has Come" reached the top 10 in Canada and several European countries, reaching number seven in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it was released only for radio play and reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, it held the number one position for 21 weeks.

The music video for the next single, "I'm Alive," was also directed by Meyers. It was filmed in late May 2002 in Los Angeles. The song was sent to radio on June 7, 2002. At the same time, two remixes were released: the Humberto Gatica mix and the wake up mix. The music video for "I'm Alive" was first shown on June 27, 2002. The song was included on the soundtrack for Stuart Little 2. The CD single was released in Europe, Australia, and Canada in early August 2002. "I'm Alive" reached the top 10 in several European countries and reached number two on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. In the United States, it reached number six on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

The third and final commercial single, "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," was released to radio on October 10, 2002. The music video was filmed at the Château d'Aunoy in France in mid-October 2002 and directed by Chris Applebaum. It was first shown on November 21, 2002, along with the European release of the CD single, which reached the top 40 in several countries. In the United States, the song reached number 27 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Sony Music also released two US promotional singles: "Aun Existe Amor" and "At Last." "Aun Existe Amor" was released after Celine Dion performed the song at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in May 2002, where she received a special award for "My Heart Will Go On," the first English-language song to top the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. "At Last" was sent to adult contemporary radio in December 2002 and reached number 16 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.

Although unchanged, "Have You Ever Been in Love" was included on Dion's next album, One Heart, and released as a single in April 2003. The song reached number two on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart in the United States and stayed there for 14 weeks.

Promotion

Céline Dion actively promoted her album through many television appearances and concerts. She recorded a special called A New Day Has Come on March 3, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The special aired on CBS on April 7, 2002. During the broadcast, Dion performed the songs "A New Day Has Come," "I'm Alive," "At Last," "Have You Ever Been in Love," "Nature Boy," and a movie medley that included "Because You Loved Me," "Beauty and the Beast" with Brian McKnight, and "My Heart Will Go On." She also performed "Aun Existe Amor" and "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," though these songs were not shown on television. Destiny's Child joined her for a medley of "Emotion" and "When the Wrong One Loves You Right."

On March 17, 2002, Dion recorded La spéciale Céline Dion in Paris, France, to promote the album in French-speaking regions. The special aired on TF1 on March 30, 2002. She performed "A New Day Has Come," "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" with Jean-Jacques Goldman, "Sous le vent" with Garou, "Au bout de mes rêves" with Garou, Pascal Obispo, Gérald de Palmas, and Jean-Jacques Goldman, "Ten Days" with Gérald de Palmas, "I'm Alive," "On ne change pas," and "The Greatest Reward."

Dion, along with Cher, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, and the Dixie Chicks, performed at VH1 Divas Las Vegas, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. The concert was broadcast live on VH1 on May 23, 2002, to support the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a group that helps music and education programs in schools. Guest performers included Anastacia, Stevie Nicks, Cyndi Lauper, and Whitney Houston. Dion opened the show with Anastacia on the AC/DC song "You Shook Me All Night Long." She later performed "A New Day Has Come" and "I'm Alive." For the finale, the performers sang an Elvis Presley medley, with Dion singing "Can't Help Falling in Love." The concert was released on CD and DVD in October 2002.

On September 14, 2002, Dion performed at the charity concert for World Children's Day at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago, under the musical direction of David Foster. The event was broadcast on ABC on November 14, 2002. She performed "That's the Way It Is," "My Heart Will Go On," "The Prayer" with Josh Groban, and "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)." For the finale, she joined other artists to perform "Aren't They All Our Children." The concert was released on DVD in December 2002.

On October 10, 2002, Dion recorded her second French-language television special, Céline Dion à tout prix, in Paris. She performed "I'm Alive," "Pour que tu m'aimes encore," "L'envie d'aimer" with Daniel Lévi, and a "Ten Days"/"Tomber" medley with Gérald de Palmas. She also performed "Woman in Love" with Natasha St-Pier and joined Lââm for "Stayin' Alive." The special aired on M6 on November 22, 2002.

Critical reception

The album received different opinions from music critics. Chuck Taylor of Billboard praised the album, saying that Dion explored a "wider and more creative range of pop music" and called it her most "varied and satisfying" recording so far. Larry Flick, also writing for Billboard, highlighted the song "Have You Ever Been in Love," describing it as "a warm source of comfort." Taylor also reviewed the three singles, calling "A New Day Has Come" "a gentle way to express hope in a difficult world" and describing "I'm Alive" as a change in style with "strong, rhythmic beats" and "high, powerful singing." He called "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" "very moving and beautiful" but questioned whether it could become popular.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a positive review, saying the album was "carefully made" and "arranged in a smart way," though he felt it did not have songs that stood out. He noted that it "covers more musical styles than any other Dion record" while still appealing to her main audience, calling it "more complex than it needed to be." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine praised the adult contemporary tracks, especially the title song and "I'm Alive," but was less excited about the album's attempts at more modern pop. He called "Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)" "an obvious joke," while noting that the club-influenced "Sorry for Love" was "a surprising change in style that actually works."

Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B−, saying it was "too complicated" in some places, which sometimes made Dion's messages about innocence and motherhood less clear. He praised the "upbeat disco" of "Sorry for Love" and described "Have You Ever Been in Love" as similar to a "James Bond movie theme performed by Barbra Streisand." He also called "Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)" the most "unique" and "traditional-sounding" song Dion had recorded.

Mike Ross of Jam! offered a positive review, writing that A New Day Has Come "continues where Falling into You left off." He described the album as full of "grand, dramatic, and emotional love songs," with modern touches that were "inconsistent" but welcome. Ross said the ballads were the strongest tracks and praised "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" for its "two powerful key changes" and orchestration "that would impress John Williams."

Barnes & Noble also responded positively, noting that the new material showed a more "spiritual" and "modern" side of Dion. Their review praised the "encouraging" title track, the "emotional with country music elements" "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," the "powerful with gospel choir sounds" "Prayer," the "bluesy, honky-tonk style" "Ten Days," the "emotional ballad" "Have You Ever Been in Love," and the "good performances" of "Nature Boy" and "At Last."

Commercial reception

The album A New Day Has Come reached number one in 17 countries worldwide. In the United States, Celine Dion achieved two important milestones with the album’s release. It was her first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, making it her fourth album to top the chart. The album sold 558,000 units in its first week, which was her highest first-week sales total. Previously, her 1997 album Let's Talk About Love sold 334,000 copies at its debut, and her 1999 album All the Way… A Decade of Song sold 303,000 copies. The 558,000 figure was her third-highest first-week sales total, behind All the Way… A Decade of Song (640,000 units) and Let's Talk About Love (624,000 units), both achieved during the Christmas season.

In its second week, the album dropped to number two, selling 263,000 copies. It remained at number two the following week, selling 226,000 units. For the next two weeks, it held the number three position, selling 163,000 and 114,000 copies, respectively. In its sixth week, it fell to number six with 101,000 units sold. In the seventh week, it rose back to number two, selling 143,000 copies. The album spent 10 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. It ranked number 12 on the list of best-selling albums of 2002 in the United States, with total sales of 2,645,000 copies. In January 2003, the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. As of December 5, 2010, it had sold 3,307,000 copies in the United States.

In Canada, the album debuted at number one, selling 151,600 copies—more than 10 times the sales of its closest competitor, Shakira’s Laundry Service (12,200 copies). It remained at number one for seven consecutive weeks, marking Dion’s longest time at the top of the charts. This surpassed the six-week reign of her previous album, The Colour of My Love. The album was certified six times platinum by CRIA.

A New Day Has Come reached number one in most European countries and received multi-platinum, platinum, and gold certifications. After selling 3 million copies in Europe and spending seven weeks at number one on the European Top 100 Albums chart, it was certified triple platinum by the IFPI. Billboard ranked it as the third-best album of 2002 in Europe, behind Shakira’s Laundry Service and Anastacia’s Freak of Nature. The album also reached number one in Australia and New Zealand and was certified double platinum in both countries.

Overall, the album debuted at number one in 17 countries, making it the biggest global debut of 2002. Its worldwide commercial success placed it at number five on the IFPI list of best-selling albums of 2002. A New Day Has Come has sold 12 million copies worldwide.

Accolades

In 2003, Dion won the American Music Award for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. She also received a Billboard Music Award for Hot Adult Contemporary Artist and was nominated for Top Pop Catalog Artist and Hot Adult Contemporary Track for "A New Day Has Come." Dion won several other awards, including the Félix Award for Artist of the Year for the Most Success in a Language Other Than French, the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award for Best Selling Foreign Release ("A New Day Has Come"), the Arion Music Award for Best Selling International Album ("A New Day Has Come"), and the Dragon Award for International Female Artist of the Year.

"A New Day Has Come" also received an ASCAP Pop Award and a BMI Pop Award for Most Performed Song, as well as three SOCAN Awards for Pop Music, International Achievement, and Classic Songs. Dion was also nominated for four Juno Awards in 2003: Artist of the Year, Fan Choice Award, Album of the Year ("A New Day Has Come"), and Single of the Year ("A New Day Has Come"). Other nominations included the People's Choice Award for Favourite Female Musical Performer, the Echo Award for International Female Artist of the Year, and the MuchMoreMusic Award for the "A New Day Has Come" music video.

Track listing

• means there is an additional producer
• The Canadian and US editions do not include the song "Super Love."
• The 2002 limited edition includes a bonus DVD with the audio tracks "All Because of You" and "Coulda Woulda Shoulda," the music video for "I'm Alive," and a preview video of A New Day…
• The 2008 collector's edition includes a bonus DVD with the music videos for "A New Day Has Come," "Have You Ever Been in Love," "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," and "I'm Alive," as well as the videos "Making of the album," "Making of A New Day Has Come video," and "Have You Ever Been in Love in the studio."