Written by: Carlyn Warren
If you’re anything like us, the opening notes to “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” make you feel like you can take on the world! Shania Twain has empowered women and men for decades and never fails to bring that fierceness that we all love. Shania quickly became a household name in the 1990s and has continued her legacy through the years. We recently watched Shania’s new Netflix documentary, Not Just A Girl, and we are even more obsessed with her than ever! Here are some reasons why Shania will always be the Queen of Country Pop!
From a young age, Shania had always wanted to be a singer and was writing and recording demos long before she made it to Nashville.
However, her parents died in a tragic car accident when she was 22 years old. She was left to care for her siblings and soon realized that becoming a singer at a resort was the best way to do so.
She didn’t let this hardship define her and finally signed a record deal a few years later. Unfortunately, this was not the end of Shania’s tragedies. Later in her life, with an established career, Shania found herself in some pretty low lows after releasing her third album, Up!. Shania was unfortunately diagnosed with Lyme disease, which caused changes in her singing voice. During her health crisis, Shania also went through a divorce. Amidst all of these heartaches, Shania picked herself up and never let these challenges hold her back. Those close to her call her a “sledgehammer” because no matter what, Shania will always bounce back stronger and in the best outfit! 💪
Let’s go, girls! One thing that Shania has always included in her songwriting and many
other aspects of her career is her message of female empowerment! Being a woman in country music, she found herself in a male-dominated genre. Shania told herself that she had to work three times as hard to succeed, and that’s what she did.
Shania said of her country music breakthrough, “[t]o be relentless was the only way.” Not only has Shania inspired us through her journey but through her music as well. With hits like “Man! I Feel Like A Woman”, “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” and “Any Man of Mine,” Shania has been proving that girls have been in charge since long before Beyoncé confirmed that they run the world. Shania was a feminist songwriter during a time when these ideas weren’t common in mainstream music, AND she did it in a male-dominated genre. 🤠
You can’t talk about Shania without talking about fashion! From leopard print to glitter, Shania is not afraid of a bold fashion look. She can wear short skirts and men’s shirts and make it one of the most iconic music looks ever. Shania’s influences in music and fashion vary across different genres, including Dolly Parton, Elton John, and Pat Benatar. With her love for glitz and glamour as well as a Rock ‘N Roll edge, Shania has proved time and again that she can pull off almost any outfit. She loves the drama of fashion, and we live for it every single time!! 💃
Being the absolute boss she is, Shania has been involved in almost every aspect of her career since the beginning. Shania is someone who knows what she wants and never does anything without a strong vision. Since the 90s, Shania has done creative direction and editing for her music videos.
It doesn’t just stop there; Shania does everything from staging, content ideas, choreography, set design, and musicality for her live shows. For her recent Las Vegas residency, “Let’s Go!”, Shania presented the entire show song by song to her production team while planning the residency. Shania keeps inspiring us and our creativity, and we can’t wait to see what her next project is! 🎨
Shania can genuinely do it all, including making music that breaks norms and transcends across genres. One of the things that shot her to superstardom was how she so effortlessly blended the country and pop genres.
Growing up, Shania listened to everything from Tanya Tucker to Stevie Wonder, and one of her earliest demos is her singing Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” However, Shania cites Dolly Parton as her primary influence in making both types of music. Shania widened the borders of country music with a sound that can still be heard in the genre today! 🎸
Shania is an inspiration to so many of our favorite artists, including everyone from Avril Lavigne, Kelsea Ballerini, Orville Peck, Post Malone, Twenty One Pilots, and so many more. Taylor Swift even made a TikTok about Shania crossing over from country to pop and giving Taylor the confidence to do so.
Harry Styles’ also revealed that his main influence in music and fashion is Shania and then shared the stage with her in his incredible Coachella performance in April 2022. Shania will continue to inspire many generations of artists and fans! 💗
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