Céline Dion's triumphant return, and 4 more songs you need to hear this week

Songs you need to hear is CBC Music's weekly list of hot new Canadian tracks.

Scroll down to discover the songs our producers are loving right now.

'Hymne à l'amour' (Édith Piaf cover), Céline Dion

Céline Dion's return to the stage at the Paris Olympics was stunning in every way: standing on the Eiffel Tower with the Olympic rings hanging above her, wearing a crystal-laden Dior couture gown, the pop superstar gave the performance of a lifetime when she sang Édith Piaf's "Hymne à l'amour" to the world during the opening ceremony. It was her first public performance after announcing her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome in 2022, and after releasing a devastating documentary about her life with the illness earlier this year. Despite doubts, Dion did perform the song live, and the emotion pouring out of her performance was indescribable. Her voice rang strong and clear, and there couldn't have been a dry eye in the audience. And now, you can weep at home on repeat, as Dion has just released the recording as a single. — Holly Gordon

'Problems,' Skiifall

Montreal hip-hop artist Skiifall has swapped sharp raps for smooth singing on his latest reggae-infused track, "Problems." Produced by Kenny Beats, who has worked with Vince Staples, Denzel Curry and Flo Milli, the silky, lover's rock song lets Skiifall show off a more sensitive side: "If I was to lose you round this time, it would be tragic," he sings over crisp piano. With his musical roots being in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the sweet sounds of lover's rock were always present in Skiifall's life. He finally decided to experiment with the flavours of the musical style after connecting with Kenny Beats: "When I met Kenny we talked about my love for the genre and he really instilled the confidence in me to try it out," he shared in a press release. "That first session ended up turning into something I would have never imagined." As Skiifall pines on each verse and announces he'll always come when his love interest calls, listeners can appreciate a newfound tenderness from the rapper — who has found a way to easily embrace the romance of cuffing season alongside the rhythms of the tropics.  — Natalie Harmsen

'Sugar,' RSY

Make a bee-line to hear Brampton songstress RSY's latest single "Sugar." Her sweet-as-honey vocals are like liquid gold dripping over the mellow beat. "Sugar" fills you up with anticipation reminiscent of love at first sight — that instant attraction, the sweetness of instant love. But alas, the sting of rejection comes on the chorus: "But you try and you try to get me out." The final verse is a swarm of rapid-fire lyrics, as RSY longs for nectar that cannot be hers. In the end, she accepts the loss: "But you push me away/ you push me away." —Vanessa Francis

'Buffalo,' the OBGMs

"I'm happy/ that it's over/ so f–king happy," Densil McFarlane exclaims in the opening moments on the OBGMs' latest single, "Buffalo." This cut off of the Toronto punk band's upcoming album, Sorry, It's Over (out Oct. 22), is clear-eyed and propulsive, transforming past pain into growth. Filled with vivid memories of an old relationship, like riding a Greyhound bus to Buffalo and running through the streets listening to Gucci Mane, "Buffalo" is a time capsule that McFarlane looks back on through a prism of emotions. "And when these scars heal," he assures, "I'll be unchained." — Melody Lau

'Say My Name,' Maddee Ritter

On her new single, "Say My Name," Maddee Ritter bottles the charged electricity of locking eyes across a dance floor, bodies gravitating towards each other like a primal urge. The Toronto singer's voice is languid and rich, gliding over the glittering disco beat, the heaviness of her vocals mixing with the playfulness of her lyricism. In the heat of it all, desire takes over and Ritter pleads, expectantly: "Say my name out loud/ Pull me in, grab me tight/ Baby, I love it when you say you want it." The whole song is an impassioned plea, and a window into some of the themes on Ritter's upcoming debut album, Songs of Love and Death, out Oct. 25. — Kelsey Adams

To hear more about these standout songs, tune in to CBC Music Mornings every Thursday (Canada-wide) with producer Nathan Gill and host Damhnait Doyle, and Here and Now with Ramraajh Sharvendiran every Wednesday afternoon (in Toronto). Both are available via CBC Listen.