Beaver Falls' Vanesa Campagna co-wrote song in acclaimed Celine Dion documentary
The new Celine Dion documentary features a song co-written by Beaver Falls native Vanessa Campagna.
Streaming now on Amazon Prime, the emotional "I Am: Celine Dion" documentary includes the song "Who I Am" sung by Nashville-based pop-R&B artist Wyn Starks, co-written by Campagna.
On her Facebook page, Campagna described the full-circle experience of sitting in a movie theater with Starks watching a private screening of the Dion documentary, hearing their song.
"Twenty-five years ago, a little girl with big dreams went to her very first concert. I sang every word to every song so loudly that my mom said 'Vaness … just a little quieter ... the people came to hear Céline Dion sing,'" Campagna, a Blackhawk High graduate, said. "Her voice and her songs set my dreams on fire! They were the first songs I ever learned to sing, and she’s been the inspiration behind me following my dreams.
"So, here I am, 25 years later watching her belt out 'Who I Am,' saying 'this is the song we end the night with. This is the song that gives me strength.' Whew. You could NOT have prepared me for that. To know that this song that I co-wrote with my friends, Wyn Starks & Josh Bronleewe has brought so many people healing and peace, and to know that it does the same for Celine is a feeling I won't ever be able to put into words."
Campagna added, "Man, am I grateful for this journey. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making this song come to life. Thank you, Celine, for sharing your gift with all of us. Your courage and strength is beautiful and you are a true light in this world."
“I Am: Celine Dion" premiered June 25 on Amazon, earning praise for its heart-tugging honesty by publications like Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, Variety and the New York Times.
The 56-year-old, multi-platinum Grammy Award winner has been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that causes involuntary stiffness of muscles and painful muscle spasms.
According to Entertainment Weekly, "I Am: Celine Dion" powerfully shows Dion's tough new reality, striving to live and perform as always, but sometimes sidelined by frightening seizures.
"During one moment in the doc, the singer is paralyzed for several minutes as she suffers a full-body seizure after a medical evaluation," Entertainment Weekly said.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Blackhawk grad Campagna co-wrote song in new Celine Dion documentary
