Deborah Cox Cruises Full Circle From Celine Dion Backup Singer to Covering Pop Icon’s Songs in ‘Titanique’
April 10, 2026
Deborah Cox is back on Broadway: Following her stint as Glinda the Good Witch in 2024’s The Wiz revival, Cox is starring in Titanique as The Unsinkable Molly Brown.
After several successful runs elsewhere including London, where it won the Olivier Award in 2025 Titanique is now berthed at Broadway’s St. James Theatre for a 16-week limited engagement. Previews began March 26; opening night is April 12. Running through July 12, the musical parody of the 1997 film Titanic also stars Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, Jim Parsons and Frankie Grande.
Titanique not only marks Cox’s latest credit on a Broadway resumé that includes Aida and Jekyll & Hyde. It also represents a full-circle moment. That’s because Titanique is propelled by Celine Dion’s catalog, including Titanic’s theme song “My Heart Will Go On.” And Cox — a former backup singer for fellow Canadian Dion — is performing two tunes: a solo turn on “All by Myself” and in a trio version of “Tell Him.” It’s the first time Cox has revisited the songbook since touring with the pop icon for a year, including former president Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.
“It was around ‘Beauty and the Beast’ when I left Celine’s tour to start my own career,” recalls Cox. “So it’s wild to be in a production using her music as opposed to just singing background. That’s why I tell people to trust your journey because you never know where it’s going to lead.”
Cox’s journey led to a string of R&B and dance/pop hits including her multiplatinum classic “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here,” “Beautiful U R” and “Let the World Be Ours Tonight.” The Grammy-nominated singer has also won four Juno Awards and became the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
During rehearsals for her Titanique role as Molly Brown, portrayed by Kathy Bates in the film version, Cox chatted with Billboard about what compelled her latest stage adventure, lessons learned from Dion and plans for new music.
Chiquis to Host Billboard Latin Women in Music 2026
April 10, 2026
Chiquis is poised to host the fourth annual Billboard Latin Women in Music ceremony, Billboard and Telemundo can announce Thursday (April 9). The two-hour special, which will air live on April 23 at 9:00 p.m. ET via Telemundo, will also stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo app.
“To be able to host this event, present these incredible women, and share the same atmosphere with them is amazing. It’s empowering, it feels great, and I’m so grateful that they thought of me for this,” Chiquis tells Billboard over the phone about her hosting duties this year.
The Mexican-American artist was among the 2025 honorees, and received the Impact Award. “Last year, when I was honored, I told myself, ‘I would love to host,’ and look, it happened! I’m always doing my best to uplift and empower women, whether through my music or everything else I do,” adds the singer-songwriter. “And what better way to do that than on a night dedicated to women Latin women that I admire and who inspire me as well.”
The announcement comes on the heels of Chiquis’ recent singles the ethereal, R&B-infused “eres MÁS,” and the nylon guitar-driven “Volví.” A three-time Latin Grammy winner, the self-proclaimed Abeja Reina remains an influential voice in regional Mexican music, while also thriving as a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate for the Latin community.
This year’s edition will celebrate an extraordinary roster of artists. Becky G is set to receive the Global Impact Award, Ivy Queen will be honored with the Pioneer Award, Joy will be recognized with the Spirit of Change Award, Julieta Venegas will take home the Artistic Excellence Award, and Young Miko will be celebrated with the Unstoppable Artist Award. Additional honorees and performers for the event will be revealed soon.
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