‘I don’t know who that is’, Bukayo Saka on Celine Dion

By Emmanuel Okogba

Arsenal and England star Bukayo Saka has gone viral after confessing he had never heard of global music legend Celine Dion during a relaxed interview with Nigerian Grammy-winning singer Tems.

In a light-hearted sit-down conversation on the first edition of The Link Up, a new show by Arsenal Football Club, Saka asked Tems about her early music influences and idols. When she mentioned Celine Dion, Saka responded with genuine surprise: “I don’t know who that is,” he said, laughing.

Tems, visibly shocked and amused, replied: “You don’t know who Celine Dion is? Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.”

Saka, born in 2001, most likely leans toward contemporary Afrobeats, hip-hop, and R&B, with artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Drake regularly on his playlist. He also admitted to listening to Tems’ music and music playing a role in his life.

Dion, the Canadian superstar behind timeless hits like “My Heart Will Go On” and “Because You Loved Me,” dominated the charts in the 1990s and early 2000s, long before Saka was born. She has sold over 200 million records worldwide and remains one of the best-selling artists of all time.

The brief interaction offered a rare, personal glimpse into Saka, widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s most humble and focused talents.