As Martel sang, Dion continued to be entranced with the performance, singing along from her seat as the song’s notes wafted through the studio. The sheer beauty of the choir and orchestra added depth and intensity to the performance, making this video so impressive. At the end of the performance, Dion jumped up for a standing ovation, her face in awe, and she looked seemingly at a loss for words. After gaining her composure, Dion went over and repeatedly thanked and hugged Martel.
But the song itself also has an inherent power that can move anyone who listens to it. In 2011, when Martel chose this song as his audition piece, he did so deliberately. “I thought lyrically, that song is so perfect for right now,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s just a guy crying out that he’s tired and can’t get ahead, and most people in America can relate to that…I know I can.”
Martel has experienced continued success after his performance in front of Dion. While actor Rami Malek played Freddie Mercury in the biographical film “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 2018, Martel was the singing voice of Mercury, providing all of the new recordings the film needed. Graham King, the producer of the film, said about Martel, “Literally, you could close your eyes and it’s Freddie. And that’s a very tough thing to do.” In another interview with Film Journal, King also said, “It’s hard to find someone who can sing like Freddie Mercury, and I’m not sure the movie would have happened if we didn’t have Marc.”
