Shania Twain, recognized as the best-selling female artist in country music history with over 100 million records sold and five Grammy Awards, has reflected on the personal tragedy that shaped her career. Known for hits such as "You’re Still the One," "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "That Don’t Impress Me Much," Twain’s rise to fame was preceded by significant hardship during her early adulthood.
Born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, Twain grew up in conditions marked by poverty and violence, using music as an emotional refuge. Her life changed dramatically on November 1, 1987, when her mother, Sharon, and stepfather, Jerry Twain, died in a head-on collision with a logging truck near Wawa, Ontario. At the time, Twain was 22 and studying in Toronto when she received the news by phone. She later described the moment as overwhelming, recalling her sister’s call and her younger brother’s cries in the background. Following the accident, Twain returned home to care for her younger siblings and to manage her late parents’ affairs. She has said she was forced to suppress her grief and quickly take on adult responsibilities, including securing a second mortgage on the family home and handling complex accident reports.
Music, while a source of comfort, had to take a backseat until a friend of her mother’s, Mary Bailey, stepped in as her manager and arranged a steady job performing at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario. Located six hours from Timmins, the resort offered Twain a way to support her family while continuing to sing. Twain credits this period with critical growth, noting she learned how to perform professionally and developed her stage presence over three years in the resort’s variety show.
Persisting with her songwriting, Twain sent demo tapes to Bailey, who provided guidance akin to a second mother. One of these demos eventually caught the attention of a music lawyer from Nashville, Tennessee, who traveled north to hear her perform live. Impressed by her rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings," he encouraged her to pursue a broader music career. Twain acknowledged that by the time of this discovery in her late twenties, she had developed confidence and style as a performer, despite believing she might remain at the resort indefinitely.
Her meeting with Nashville executives led to a recording contract, marking the beginning of a transformative chapter that would reshape country music. Twain later named her album "Nashville" in reference to this pivotal moment.
Throughout her career, Twain faced further challenges, including health setbacks. In 2003, while on tour, she contracted Lyme disease, which caused a voice disorder that required surgery and years of recovery. She also endured personal turmoil, with her 2010 divorce following the revelation of her then-husband Robert John “Mutt” Lange’s affair with her best friend.
Today, Twain lives in Switzerland with her husband Frederic Thiebaud, the former spouse of the friend involved in the affair. She has ventured into acting and recently released her seventh studio album, "Little Miss Twain," which revisits her country roots.
Twain’s influence spans generations of artists. She has been openly admired by figures such as Taylor Swift, who has cited Twain as an inspiration since her early career, and Harry Styles, who counted her music among his formative influences.
Despite the hardships she endured, Twain describes embracing a “new voice” following her health struggles, and continues to maintain a significant presence in the music industry.