Shania Twain the queen of country, pop.
by Snehashree Mandal for Country Music News International
Life in the beginning….
Raised in Ontario, Twain began her singing career quite early in life. Born as Eilleen Regina Edwards she later took on her stepfather’s surname. By the age of eight, she sang in nightclubs to supplement her parents’ irregular income and at the age of 21, she moved to Toronto to work during the day and sing at night in clubs. But then somehow life had perhaps planned bigger for her and amid a striking tragedy created for her a path that took her far and wide.
Her inner struggle began when……
Within a year her parents got killed in a road car crash and she had to return home to help & raise her sister and her two brothers. She struggled her way out and each time she got surrounded by the darkness she knew she had to shine back and come back to her life which she did eventually. Meanwhile, she kept doing what she did all these years- she sang in clubs and it was producer Norro Wilson who took her to Nashville for her first album break. It was here that she changed her name to Twain which means “I’m on my way.”
Her first success,
Her first self-titled album could sell only 100,000 albums and it seemed to have bombed at the scoreboards after its release in 1993. But then her second album, The Woman in Me skyrocketed and plummeted to the top securing her space in the world of country music. It sold over 20 million throughout the globe and then her third album too became a rapid hit and it was declared the best album ever by a female in every genre. Her albums got accolades from all over the world and one after the other created waves rising to the top of the charts and breaking all records ever created. But after Party for Two in 2004, Shania Twain took a break when Lyme’s disease and dysphonia weakened her voice terribly and she hit her worst low. In 2012, she released her single after a break of seven long years.
Awards are many but to count a few,
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With 5 Grammys and a world music award, and 27 BMI songwriter awards, she made a glittery space for herself that cannot be easily conquered ever. She was declared to be the 13th greatest music video female solo artist of all times. After 15 years, she released her first solo album in 2015 and embarked on a new tour in 2018. Twain’s autobiography was released on 27th March 2011. She is one of the best-selling artists of country music and the billboard calls her the 90s country-pop crossover star. Her Las Vegas residency, Let’s Go was released in 2019 and since 2011 she is again seen back on her musical tracks creating moments and music together.
Shania Twain Interview by Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International