That is Nick's girlfriend Olivia Culpo - Miss Rhode Island 2012, Miss USA 2012 and Miss Universe 2012. She's beautiful!
Part of a Nick Jonas interview:
Just Jared: Do you remember who your first celebrity crush was?
Nick Jonas: My first celebrity crush, yes. Shania Twain, no doubt about it. I got to meet her earlier this year in Vegas. I went to her show and I fanboyed out.
Just Jared: Did you tell her?
Nick Jonas: I didn’t tell her. I played it cool, but I was nervous. I’ll be honest, it was a moment for me because I really loved her. I was specifically watching this concert special that she did in Chicago with this like yellow rash guard on, but somehow she pulled it off and looked beautiful. Anyway, I met her and soon after realized she was following me on Twitter and that was pretty amazing. Big moment!
Looks like she made it: 49 photos of Canadian country music star Shania Twain
HELLO! Canada | August 25, 2014
One of the most successful Canadian musicians of all time, Shania Twain has sold more than 85 million albums worldwide and is regularly touted as one of the world’s most beautiful stars.
But life wasn’t always so peachy for the native of Timmins, Ontario. Born Eileen Regina Edwards, the singer was raised in poverty by her mother (her father left when she was two), where she regularly went hungry and had to make do with homemade clothes fashioned by her grandmother. As a teenager, she played gigs to help support her family, all the while dreaming of making it big in the music industry someday.
In 1987, tragedy struck. Shania was 21 and on the cusp of launching her musical career when her mother and stepfather were killed in a car crash, leaving the young singer to care for her two half-brothers. “I knew I had to look after my younger brothers,” she said. “I really needed to keep the family together. I just put all my singing ambitions on hold until the rest of the family had grown up.”
Thankfully, Shania’s hard work, determination and perseverance paid off. In 1993, she moved to Nashville and changed her name to “Shania,” an Ojibwe word for “I’m on my way,” – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Here, as Shania Twain celebrates her 49th birthday (and perhaps an upcoming album and tour!) Hello! Canada looks back at Shania’s incredible life and career in photos.
'Women On Canadian Banknotes' Seeks More Female Faces On The Country's Money
By Jesse Ferreras | The Huffington Post Canada | November 4, 2014
In 2011, the Bank of Canada nixed plans to display images of prominent female activists on a new $50 bill.
It had initially planned to depict the "Famous Five," a group of women that fought to see females recognized as persons under the constitution, and Thérèse Casgrain, a feminist and the first woman ever elected to lead a political party in Canada.
The Victoria, B.C.-based creator of Heroines.ca, a website dedicated to highlighting outstanding Canadian women, started a Change.org petition last year calling on the Bank of Canada to display women on the country's money.
And now Forster, whose petition has gained over 48,000 supporters (including prominent author Margaret Atwood), is stepping up her campaign.
She is preparing to launch a website, Women on Canadian Banknotes, in which people are encouraged both to sign her petition, and to come up with their own suggestions for who should appear on Canadian bills.
The tool is simple: you simply go to the website, hit "Generate your Suggestion," upload a photo, and voila, you have a Canadian $100 bill with a prominent woman's face on it.
Forster told The Huffington Post Canada that the intention isn't to suggest who should just appear on the $100 bill, but "any of the next bank notes."
"[I] just hoped that this would be a fun, interactive tool for people to get involved with the Canadian women on bank notes campaign," she said in an email.
Forster was surprised when informed by The Huffington Post Canada last Friday that the site has already drawn heavy interest before it's been officially launched.
Indeed, users have submitted dozens of ideas for women who should appear on Canadian currency, from astronaut Roberta Bondar, to former prime minister Kim Campbell, to country-pop singer Shania Twain.
Some users even tweeted their ideas last week.
One thing is certain: there is no shortage of outstanding Canadian women to choose from.
Check out suggestions that people have for women who could appear on Canadian banknotes:
She’s done so much for country music, she’s put children first in communities both in Canada in the US when it comes to breakfast programs and she is an inspiration for all rock and country artists.
15 Most Unexpected CMA Awards Acceptance Speeches of All Time
Rolling Stone | November 3, 2014
Shania Twain
Entertainer of the Year, 1999
"I have to meet Dolly Parton tonight after the show. She's my absolute biggest inspiration of all time, and she can't leave the building until I at least meet her!"
Beyonce tops Forbes list as 2014's highest-paid woman in music
November 4, 2014
1. Beyoncé - $115 Million
2. Taylor Swift - $64 Million
3. Pink - $52 Million
4. Rihanna - $48 Million
5. Katy Perry - $40 Million
6. Jennifer Lopez - $37 Million
7. Miley Cyrus - $36 Million (tie)
7. Celine Dion - $36 Million (tie)
9. Lady Gaga - $33 Million
10. Britney Spears - $20 Million
Near Misses
There are plenty of female musicians who earned double-digit millions, yet not quite enough to crack the top ten. Among them: Madonna, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Miranda Lambert and Shania Twain.
That is Nick's girlfriend Olivia Culpo - Miss Rhode Island 2012, Miss USA 2012 and Miss Universe 2012. She's beautiful!
Part of a Nick Jonas interview:
Just Jared: Do you remember who your first celebrity crush was?
Nick Jonas: My first celebrity crush, yes. Shania Twain, no doubt about it. I got to meet her earlier this year in Vegas. I went to her show and I fanboyed out.
Just Jared: Did you tell her?
Nick Jonas: I didn’t tell her. I played it cool, but I was nervous. I’ll be honest, it was a moment for me because I really loved her. I was specifically watching this concert special that she did in Chicago with this like yellow rash guard on, but somehow she pulled it off and looked beautiful. Anyway, I met her and soon after realized she was following me on Twitter and that was pretty amazing. Big moment!
Shania Twain was definitely my first celebrity crush. I love Shania Twain. I’m just a big fan of her music. I remember watching this concert DVD of her in Chicago, I think it was for like 120,000 people, I was just blown away by what an amazing performer she was and just the whole thing. I’m a big fan still. I got to go see her in Las Vegas; she’s still really awesome.
Newly Single Jose Canseco Uses Twitter to Hit on Country Singer Shania Twain
By Kyle Newport, Featured Columnist | Dec 2, 2014
Former MLB slugger Jose Canseco is back on the market, which is apparently not a comfortable place for him to be.
The 50-year-old is going through a rough patch right now. Near the end of October, he accidentally shot himself in the hand. More recently, he and his fiancee split up.
Turns out the single life is not for him.
It's been just over a week since Canseco and his ex-fiancee revealed they had gone their separate ways. Judging by Canseco's tweets, he is ready to move on and love again:
In fact, he already has eyes on someone. Who? Country singer Shania Twain:
Sorry, Jose, but Twain married Frederic Thiebaud in 2011. The search continues.
Watch out, Tinder. With an age limit of 50, there's still a chance—which is all Canseco is looking for.
Jose Canseco Hit On Shania Twain Via Twitter And Failed (Photo)
Former baseball player Jose Canseco sent singer Shania Twain a shirtless picture on Twitter and attempted to hit on the married mom.
by Bryan Rose | December 2, 2014
Even if you don’t like Shania Twain’s music (and I don’t know many males who do), you certainly like what you’re looking at as the singer is extremely good looking.
Apparently former MLB slugger and notorious liar Jose Canseco decided he likes what he sees too as the Las Vegas native decided to hit on the singer early Tuesday morning via Twitter.
Canseco has since deleted the tweets but the powers that be on the internet made sure his attempt to get in the pants of the Canadian born songstress remain.
Okay, hitting on Shania Twain was funny enough but then to include a shirtless photo? Beyond that, it looks like the picture was taken in 2002 with a flip phone. Seriously, how does Jose Canseco not have an iPhone or even something running Android.
As expected, there was no response from the “Still The One” singer who possibly may not have even seen the tweets considering Jose Canseco removed them rather quickly.
You may recall, last week Canseco and his model girlfriend called off their relationship and the former baseball player is apparently looking for love yet again, though is doing so in all the wrong places. Twain meanwhile has been married to an executive from Nestle (yes, the food/candy company) since 2011. She previously had been married to record producer “Mutt” Lange but they divorced in 2010 after 17-years of marriage.
It would have been nice for Shania Twain to see Jose Canseco’s tweets and the shirtless pictures, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t have impressed her all that much.
Jose Canseco proposes to Shania; Britney adds to show; Mark Wahlberg in L.V.
By Robin Leach | Dec. 8, 2014 | 11:27 p.m.
A few Wicked Whispers & Racy Rumors on this Monday:
Twitter erupted when former MLB player Jose Canseco, 50, proposed marriage to country superstar Shania Twain, who is wrapping up her two-year residency this weekend at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace.
He used Twitter to plea: “We were supposed to meet when I played for the Blue Jays in 1998. Shania, want to get married? I’m tired of being single, looking to get married ASAP.”
Shania, who is happily married to Frederic Thiebaud, didn’t respond to the oddball proposals — which were removed later the same day — just nine days after Jose’s engagement to model Leila Knight went up in smoke.
She called police after reportedly receiving threats from Jose, but he responded by challenging her to take a polygraph test, saying she was lying.
How well do you know Kip Moore? True fans may already be aware that the 34-year-old Georgia native is an avid surfer with the buff biceps to prove it, but once you play the classic get-to-know-you game Two Truths and a Lie, you'll be a real expert on the "Hey Pretty Girl" singer.
Two of the below statements are true, one isn't. Can you guess which is the lie?
A) He was once homeless in Hawaii – True! "I lived in a tent for six months, surfed all day, worked odd jobs and wrote songs – and I had the time of my life," the singer tells PEOPLE. In fact, his love for the beachin' life is so deep, "I see myself settling down with a little honey on the coast. I can take her surfing, and we'll make little surfer babies."
B) He once went solo to a Shania Twain concert – False! "I once attended a Shania twain concert with just one other dude – my buddy – which is probably a no-no, but we were both crazy about Shania in my high school years and we wanted to get a close-up look at her!"
C) He's a skater dude – True! "I always go to skate parks in the cities where I'm touring and I'm usually the only one over the age of 14. I've been doing it for a few years now and I just chill out skating. I don't do anything dangerous. I have had some injuries – I've been bloodied up a few times, which has made me quit trying the crazy stuff."
Everything You Need to Know About 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' By Mariah Carey
By LESLEY MESSER via Good Morning America | Dec 23, 2014, 11:26 AM ET
Throughout her decades-long career, Mariah Carey has been nominated for more than 400 awards, including 34 Grammys.
However, ask anybody to name their favorite hit by the celebrated singer, and nine out of ten people will give the same answer: "All I Want for Christmas Is You," from her holiday album, "Merry Christmas."
"Christmas has always been my favorite time of year and every year at Christmas, I wish I could hear my own songs on the radio and I just started writing some of the Christmas originals," she told Entertainment Tonight in 1994. "When you record a Christmas album, it's around for the rest of your life. It's something that people can play for years and years to come, so I just like the idea of that."
Her album, and its hit single, became instant classics, and this year, turn 20 years old. Here are a few other things you may not have known about the hit single.
1. It's Carey's biggest international hit: "All I Want for Christmas Is You" has reportedly sold more than 14 million copies worldwide, making it one of the biggest singles, ever. It's gone platinum in Denmark, Italy, and the U.K., and double platinum in Japan, Australia and the U.S.
2. It's not the best-selling Christmas song, however: Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" remains the top-selling single of all time, with 50 million copies sold.
3. It's currently a chart-topper: Right now, "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is currently sitting at the top of the Billboard Holiday 100.
4. To some stars, it's a classic: Ready to feel old? "All I Want for Christmas Is You" predates Olympian Gabby Douglas, Oscar nominees Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld, actress Chloë Grace Moretz and reality TV stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
5. The lyrics are... Most people know most of the words to the song, though there is one part that many people mutter because it's tough to understand. For the record, here are the lyrics: "And everyone is singing/I hear those sleigh bells ringing/Santa, won't you bring me the one I really need?/Won't you please bring my baby to me?"
6. It's been covered a lot: Perhaps most famously, "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was featured on the "Love Actually" soundtrack, with actress Olivia Olson singing the holiday anthem. However, it's also been performed by John Mayer, Shania Twain, Lady Antebellum, and Cee Lo Green, Michael Bublé, and the "Glee" cast have covered it for holiday albums.
7. The song has more than one video: Carey directed two videos for the song. One is made to look like a series of home videos and features a visit from Santa Claus, played by her then-husband, Tommy Mottola, while in the other, Carey dresses as a 1960s singer.
In 2010, thousands of fans cheered on country music superstar Shania Twain as she carried the Olympic Flame into Hollinger Park in her home town of Timmins, Ont. She donated her Olympic torch and clothing to the town's Shania Twain Centre.
In 2011, Canadian country music superstar Shania Twain and businessman Frederic Thiebaud wed in a small ceremony in Rincon, Puerto Rico, with 40 close family and friends in attendance. In 2009, Twain broke up with husband Robert "Mutt" Lange amid reports that he had an affair with Twain’s best friend and Thiebaud’s then-wife, Marie-Ann.
At the end of FOX’s New Girl on Tuesday night (Jan. 13), our very own Shania Twain made an appearance. Of sorts.
Her 20-year-old song “Any Man of Mine” played a crucial role in helping the hit sitcom’s Coach to confront his biggest fear: country music line dancing.
Twain wrote the song with her then-husband Mutt Lange, for her 1995 The Woman in Me album. And while Twain herself doesn’t do any line dancing in the video — I think she saved all those moves for her “I Ain’t No Quitter” video — she does kind of bust a move while she’s working on a farm.
Anyway, earlier in the episode, Coach admitted line dancing to a country song was the one thing that he was scared of the most. “That is terrifying. Don’t do that,” Winston told him. But eventually, in textbook sitcom style, Coach tackles some of his issues and has an epiphany about his fear.
And then he does it. He walks into the bar, puts Twain’s song on the jukebox and starts line-dancing. Jess, Nick, Schmidt and Winston join him, and they all look like they’ve been taking lessons at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon for months to prepare.
But for me, Jess was clearly the best one. Or maybe it was just that gingham miniskirt she was wearing.
Lake Louise, Vancouver emerge favorite Valentine's Day locations
Relaxnews | February 5, 2015 8:39AM EST
In an ideal scenario, Canadians would choose to become engaged to Ryan Gosling or Shania Twain, against the breathtaking setting that is Lake Louise in Banff National Park.
At least, that’s according to a Hotels.com survey conducted ahead of Valentine’s Day, that polled Canadians on their favorite Canadian cities, most romantic destinations and ideal dates.
When asked to name the one Canadian city they’d choose to spend to live out their lives, Vancouver was the most popular answer taking 35 per cent of the votes, followed by Toronto (24 per cent) and Montreal (17 per cent).
Were they able to choose the setting for the most romantic day of their lives -- the proposal -- Lake Louise in Banff National Park was the most popular choice among respondents (40 per cent), followed by the Old Port in Montreal (18 per cent) and the Toronto skyline in the background (16 per cent).
For couples, the most popular way to spend Valentine’s Day this year will be to enjoy a home-cooked meal at home, preferably an Albertan AAA steak, which emerged the favorite dish of choice, over salmon and lobster.
Singletons said their ideal Valentine’s Day would be spent on a warm beach in Mexico.
As for the sexiest Canadian celebrities, Ryan Gosling ranked first, followed by Ryan Reynolds in the category of male stars, while Shania Twain emerged the sexiest female star followed by Rachel McAdams.
The Huffington Post Canada | By Anne T. Donahue | 02/06/2015 1:27 pm EST
Shania Twain at the 1999 Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, CA on February 24, 1999
The Grammys take place on Sunday, Feb. 8, which gives us just enough time to reflect on the past and to judge former Grammy performers (and their outfits) adequately.
Kidding! Nobody here (and especially not us) can imagine the pressure of wearing The Ultimate Piece during a live performance in front of millions. But we can still take a stroll down memory lane to remember everything from Shania Twain’s "risqué" late-nineties vibes, to the fact that Prince has never looked bad. (Ever.)
Here are 10 looks you can't forget because we won't let you.
1. Shania Twain, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" (1999)
We don't reflect enough on Shania Twain, and that's a crime against us all. Enter 1999, and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman": a song that celebrates femininity (in a very limited sense of the word), and Shania’s complete recreation of the music video—live. (Minus the suits in the beginning of said video, but time was of the essence, people.) And isn't that all we want to see? A performer giving us what we already know we'll like? Sometimes. In this case, yes. Especially because she was wearing a choker you could probably pick up at ASOS or Topshop now.
2. Britney Spears, "From the Bottom of my Broken Heart." "Baby One More Time" (2000)
It begins with Britney Spears dressed as a fairy godmother. It ends as a futuristic performance of "Baby One More Time" with Britney in an embellished one-piece, a turtleneck pant suit and cut-outs down the side. Frankly, it's a testament to the essence that is Ms. Spears: a maverick and a maven, and a woman who can dance better than all of us. Also, as one of the only people on this planet who can carry off any of the above pieces we just mentioned.
3. Pink, Mya, 'Lil Kim, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott and Patti Labelle, "Lady Marmalade" (2002)
What happens when you combine a cover of Patti Labelle’s "Lady Marmalade," dress the cover artists like "Moulin Rouge" cast members, then bring Patti Labelle out to sing it too? Costume-wise, everything. Everything happens. Fringe, lace, corsets, the colour pink, fishnets—they all happen. (It's the opposite of the word, "fetch.") And unless you raid Baz Luhrmann's costume vault, you'll never see it happen again.
4. Prince (and Beyonce), [Medley] (2004)
The only entity that can upstage a Prince and Beyonce performance is Prince's purple suit. Especially since, in 2004, Beyonce hadn't reached peak Bey and had opted for a Vegas-style showgirl costume. (Which isn't a bad thing unless you juxtapose her "then" style with her "now" style, which is easily on Prince’s level.)
5. Kanye West, "Jesus Walks" (2005)
In 2005, Kanye West wore a white suit, angel wings, and sang "Jesus Walks," which cemented him as our (or at least "a") lord and saviour. We pray every day he still owns them, and he probably does.
6. Rihanna, "Umbrella"/"Don’t Stop the Music" (2008)
There are no words for sifting through years of Grammy performance pictures and experiencing the early-to-mid 2000s fashion we all want to forget. But there is a word for who redeems it: Rihanna. Specifically, Rihanna’s feather and leather dress she wore during her "Umbrella" and "Don't Stop the Music" mashup in 2008. Would she trump that look now? Absolutely. But lest we forget that even seven years ago, she was taking the risks we desperately needed to see.
7. Beyonce and Tina Turner, "Proud Mary" (2008)
The only thing better than one legend onstage is two legends onstage—especially since both (Beyonce and Tina Turner) performed the iconic "Proud Mary" in a silver mini-dress (Bey) and capri pants (Ms. Turner). Also, this was an excuse for us to say, "Remember when Tina Turner and Beyonce performed together?" because we always should. (And we always will.)
8. Lady Gaga, "Born This Way" (2011)
It wouldn't be a costume list without paying homage to Lady Gaga, godmother of costumes (at least from 2009 onward). And while her green, sparkly one-piece looked sharp back in 2010, it was her emergence from an egg (with hat in hand) to perform "Born This Way" in 2011 that brought Grammy performance costumes to new levels. Mainly because, as mentioned, she emerged from an actual egg.
9. Beyonce, "Drunk In Love" (2014)
This performance is 100% why we've been removed from several buildings for trying to make a onesie happen. Or more specifically, why we still believe onesies can happen; why some of us will try wearing our hair wet every so often, and why we choose to forget half of Jay Z's verse because it's just not worthy.
Missy Elliott: We never imagined we’d ever be uttering the phrase “Missy Elliott won the Super Bowl,” but there we were more or less conceding that, yep, the New England Patriots should turn over their rings to the rapper after she killed it during the halftime show as Katy Perry’s surprise guest. The performance led to a spike in sales of Elliott’s hits on iTunes and fans are begging for more. It’s been a whole decade since Elliott released her last album, 2005’s “The Cookbook.”
Billy Joel: The people who were born the year Billy Joel released his most recent studio album are turning 22 in 2015. It’s been nearly a generation since 1993’s “The River of Dreams” dropped. The Piano Man has certainly kept fans happy with a busy concert schedule, but we wouldn’t mind a few new tunes in the ol’ Joel discography. C’mon, Billy, we’ve waited for the longest time. We’re all in the mood for a melody.
Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman catapulted onto the scene back in 1988 with her eponymous debut album containing the smash (no pun intended) hit “Fast Car.” For the next 20 years, she steadily released new music -- her other mega-hit being 1995’s “Give Me One Reason.” But her most recent album was 2008’s “One Bright Future.” It’s been too long.
Guns N’ Roses: Back when everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky, Guns N' Roses' classic lineup consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Slash parted ways with GN'R in 1996. It isn't particularly surprising that GN'R is on an indefinite album hiatus. Their last two albums came 15 years apart. Their most recent album, 2008’s "Chinese Democracy,” only featured one original bandmate – Rose. But hope springs eternal. Guys, we totally get that sometimes you need some time on your own, but we're hoping that with just a little patience some all-new material will surface one day.
Shania Twain: Shania Twain's Las Vegas residency wrapped up last December after a successful two-year run, and fans think it’s about time the country superstar at least makes an announcement regarding another album. Twain has uttered some vague rumblings about wanting to get back in the studio, but it's been almost 13 years since 2002's "Up!" dropped. Lack of a concrete announcement has fans down, proving that she's still the one they run to.
Paul Simon: Maybe it’s because even after all these years, Paul Simon flawlessly nailed “Still Crazy After All These Years” during last weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special that we have a little bit of tunnel vision. But it’s been four years since Paul Simon released any new material. With no news of when we’ll hear some new tunes, we have to say: we love “The Sounds of Silence,” but not literally; at least not when it comes to Paul Simon.
Dr. Dre: Dr. Dre turned 50 this week, a wakeup call to fans that not only is the rap trailblazer AARP-eligible, he also hasn’t released a new album in 16 long years. It’s hardly plausible that we’re bound to forget about Dre anytime soon, though. He produces songs and albums for a plethora of top artists, and at this point he may be more famous for his wildly successful headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre. In addition, Dre need not worry too much about hitting the half-century mark because he’ll be forever young. Seriously, his real name is Andre Young.
Shania Twain was born to sing country music, but she sure took a strange route to Nashville. There were the bar gigs at age 8, the reforesting job with her stepdad, the time she raised three siblings and that Vegas-style lounge act she held down for three straight years. Learn the highlights during this episode of You Think You Know Country?
Early footage of Twain singing shows a talented songbird in need of very little refining. Okay, she had to fix that gap in her teeth, and she did — but her mother recognized early on what America and the world would come to figure out years later: this girl is super-talented. She did more than look pretty and belt it out, however. Twain was a songwriter, and she wrote songs beyond her years as early as high school.
The Grammys, the marriage, the divorce and remarriage … it’s all part of ‘You Think You Know Shania Twain?’ After you watch this episode, subscribe to the Taste of Country YouTube channel so you never miss another. You Think You Know Country? comes out every Monday. Be sure to search for episodes that cover Carrie Underwood, George Strait, Luke Bryan and more.
Shania Twain Spent Time in Two Bands Before Making It Big, But Neither Was Country
By Christina Vinson | March 2, 2015 6:00 PM
Shania Twain‘s name may be synonymous with country music nowadays, but before she was Shania Twain, the singer was Eilleen Regina Edwards — and she wasn’t country.
That’ right: Twain’s rise to the top was certainly not instantaneous. In the early 1980s, the now-country star spent time in both a rock band called Longshot and a cover band called Flirt.
Local rock group Longshot “clicked musically from day one,” according to Shania Twain: The Biography. They covered Journey, REO Speedwagon, Bryan Adams and more, and they worked incredibly hard. Even though Twain was in high school at the time, she worked tenaciously to ensure that she could both get her education and play music.
The band essentially spent every single night together, but after 18 months, they decided it was time to take a break. Their final show took place on Jan. 14, 1983; it wasn’t intended to be their last show, but they called it quits soon after.
After Longshot’s demise, Twain was invited to join a cover band, Flirt, led by Diane Chase. The band operated out of Sudbury, Ontario. Chase knew Twain from childhood — they were both part of the local talent circuit — and when Flirt needed another member, she recommended Twain.
Flirt traveled all over Ontario, and Twain even missed something very important due to the band’s travels: her high school graduation. Eventually, Twain left the band and began her solo career, rising to become the Queen of Country-Pop.
Twain has won five Grammy Awards and sold over 75 million albums worldwide, but knowing about her past groups, we’d love to hear her take on some ’80s classics. Find out more about the “Still the One” hitmaker’s humble roots, experience with an ax (seriously!) and more in Taste of Country‘s most recent You Think You Know Country? video, embedded above.
The country and pop megastar recently announced that she will be going back on the road after 11 years. Born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario, on August 28, 1965, this will be the last tour of the Canadian singer and songwriter. Here's a look at the illustrious career of the singer who has sold over 75 million records worldwide.
Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in the history of country music. The history! She's sold 75 million records with just four studio albums. In a day and age where album sales aren't as big as they used to be, Shania may remain on that perch for a long, long time. She may be there, forgive the pun, "Forever and Always." Shania's popularity is so grand that she has stars on the Walk of Fame in two countries -- America and her native Canada.
9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
8 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 lemon (juice and zest)
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup baby spinach
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425.
Place bread slices on a sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil, place in the oven until golden brown.
Rermove and set aside, preheat oven to broil.
Place in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, tossing occasionally until golden brown. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, once hot Add the artichokes, beans and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook a few minutes until fragrant. Add the parsley, lemon juice, zest and wine.
Bring to simmer and cook until almost all of the liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and Add the spinach. Toss to combine and to wilt the spinach. Divide the artichokes-bean mixture on top of the toasted bread slices. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Place under the broiler until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside. Place crostini on a platter and drizzle the tops with olive oil.
You oughta know these songs by Alanis, Shania, Céline and Sarah
Monday, April 27, 2015
We Oughta Know by Andrea Warner (who is a producer at CBC Music) chronicles a compelling and complexing time in Canadian music: the mid-1990s, when the charts were dominated by four female Canadian artists: Shania Twain, Céline Dion, Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette. These women defined a decade in music and influenced the next generation of artists.
CBC Books presents the ultimate primer in their music: the We Oughta Know playlist - 3 songs from each of these artists every music lover needs to know.
McDonald's Shareholder: If We Paid Better, Shania Twain Would Still Be Working Here
May 21, 2015
You might occasionally be thankful to McDonald’s for its breakfast sandwiches or French fries, or maybe for the work it gave you as a struggling young actor. But one McDonald’s shareholder, speaking at the company’s annual meeting today, said there’s another reason we should appreciate the company: Its low wages have ensured a number of successful former employees went on to do better things.
During an open question session where a number of attendees brought up the company’s low pay, one man who identified himself as a shareholder for the last 25 years cited a number of celebrities who once worked at McDonald’s, including Sharon Stone, Shania Twain, Jay Leno, and Jeff Bezos. The shareholder said, “I’m sure if they were making $15 an hour, they’d still be working at McDonald’s."
Britney Spears would like to collaborate with Gwen Stefani, Ludacris, Shania Twain and Celine Dion
by Daniel Falconer | 12 June 2015
Britney Spears chatted to Good Morning Britain earlier today (June 12) and told them who she'd like to collaborate with going forward, listing "Ludacris, Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Celine Dion" as those on her wishlist.
She added that she'd really "have to get some balls" before asking them to work with her, however.
Recently, Britney and Iggy Azalea teamed up for their new song 'Pretty Girls', starring in the music video for the catchy pop tune together, and Britney revealed that she'd initially hoped for someone else to be in the video as well.
"I actually wanted Nicole Richie to be in it and I was like, 'we could do something really funny, I know her really well, she's a really, really sweet girl and we can be like valley girls!"
On working with Iggy though, she did admit: "she's a really sweet girl".
Good Morning Britain airs on ITV weekdays from 6am to 8.30am.
Kip Moore Reveals Details of His New Album, Why He's Single, and His Shania Twain Obsession
By Jessica Radloff | Glamour | June 15, 2015
Glamour: Lip-synch song of choice?
Kip: Shania Twain. I could dominate early Shania Twain music. I could get down with it. I just love her. That’s my woman. I've never met her, but I will one day. We’re supposed to meet. [Laughs]
Glamour: What do you love most about Shania?
Kip: There’s nothing I don’t love about Shania. She’s just...when I saw the “Any Man of Mine” video I was just like (jaw drops) glued to the TV. I was like, "This is my woman. This is Mrs. Moore right here." I might be way younger, but this is my woman!
Britney Spears would like to collaborate with Gwen Stefani, Ludacris, Shania Twain and Celine Dion
by Daniel Falconer | 12 June 2015
Britney Spears chatted to Good Morning Britain earlier today (June 12) and told them who she'd like to collaborate with going forward, listing "Ludacris, Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Celine Dion" as those on her wishlist.
She added that she'd really "have to get some balls" before asking them to work with her, however.
Recently, Britney and Iggy Azalea teamed up for their new song 'Pretty Girls', starring in the music video for the catchy pop tune together, and Britney revealed that she'd initially hoped for someone else to be in the video as well.
"I actually wanted Nicole Richie to be in it and I was like, 'we could do something really funny, I know her really well, she's a really, really sweet girl and we can be like valley girls!"
On working with Iggy though, she did admit: "she's a really sweet girl".
Good Morning Britain airs on ITV weekdays from 6am to 8.30am.
The Star's Kerry Gillespie confirms there’s more than just Shania Twain being played at Games venues. It just seems likes the country-rocker’s the only one.
By Kerry Gillespie, Sports reporter | Toronto Star | July 17, 2015
Halfway through the Pan Am Games, after multiple venues and more hours on buses than I care to count, Shania Twain and I have become close.
Very close, as in, I feel she’s with me all the time.
I can sing — albeit badly — every hit she’s ever had and, well, that don’t impress me much.
But Canada’s country-rock star is a regular on the venue soundtracks at these Games and wasn’t chosen randomly; none of the music chosen for this event was.
Just as a cyclist or diver’s every move is designed to achieve a winning outcome in competition so is every announcement, video or song that’s played at each venue.
Greg Bowman and his team pick all the music specifically to create the ideal atmosphere — which varies dramatically, depending on the sport — and to add local flavour, entertain and prepare the crowd for what’s to come.
“It’s about finding the right moment for the music and the right music for the moment,” said Bowman, the creative director of Great Big Events, which runs everything spectators see and here in a Pan Am Games venue, aside from the sport itself.
It’s a tricky thing to try and create an atmosphere across dozens of venues and for 36 different sports. The typical crowd that gathers to watch rapid fire pistol or double trap shooting isn’t the same one that will turn up at beach volleyball.
“They’re all quite different,” Bowman said, “so we have to get it right for the culture of each sport.”
That doesn’t mean songs about shooting are chosen for the shooting venue; it’s more subtle than that.
“There probably are some, but I don’t know how appropriate they’d be,” he said, laughing.
A classic like Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” might play briefly following a nice score at a shooting event for example. But generally there’s far less music at the shooting events than at other venues, where it can be near constant.
“Shooting athletes are primarily trying to lower their heart rates and concentrate,” he said. “I don’t think they’d appreciate if we cranked out a 180-beats-per-minute track. It might be a little disturbing for them.”
But at beach volleyball, the absence of music could throw the athletes off their game because they expect to compete in a party atmosphere. To that end, beach volleyball even has its own DJ.
Music and with the venue announcer form an important part of preparing spectators who, at a multi-sport games, may be seeing an event live for the first time.
“For us, it’s about the atmosphere and (providing) a bit of context for the competition so they can enjoy it, and have moments where they know it’s fine to celebrate and when they know it’s serious,” Bowman said. “All those cues, we can give by music.”
An example? Just before a Canadian diver heads up the tower at the Pan Am Aquatic Centre in Scarborough, the crowd might hear “We’re All In This Together” by Montreal’s Sam Roberts.
Then, the music cuts out. There’s silence to create the anticipation while the diver prepares. The second he or she hits the water, the music comes back so the audience knows it’s okay to cheer.
If it’s a Canadian diver, it might be a line from “Takin’ Care of Business” from Bachman-Turner Overdrive. If the athlete is from the U.S. (and female) maybe it’s Lenny Kravitz’s version of “American Woman.”
When there’s a break in competition, music is there to keep the crowd energized. So Katy Perry’s “Roar” or Serena Ryder’s Pan Am anthem and songs by Twain — whose lyrics may reside permanently in my head after these Games are over — are among the songs in rotation.
But no matter what is played, it’s impossible to please everyone in the audience all the time.
“You might have an oldie who just wants to sit there and you might have kids that (want) one to jump up and down,” Bowman said. “That’s why variety is key and not playing the same thing over and over again.”
That is advice the bus driver ferrying a load of tired and wet journalists back from canoe/kayak racing in Welland earlier this week could have used.
We heard them all. Over and over again. And when Shania belted out, “you better start talkin’ or you better start walkin’ ” from “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” — I wished I could have started walking. But I was about 100 kilometres from home.
Regarding Twain, Bowman said she is in heavy rotation at these Pan Am Games to add “nostalgic value” to Canadians in the audience. And, he added, they are “catchy songs that will be stuck in everyone’s head on the way home.”
I can vouch for that — it’s been days since my Twain-heavy bus ride and “Man! I feel like a woman!” still echoes in my head.
Some songs heard around the Pan Am Games:
Shooting venue
Pat Benatar, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
Hollerado, “Pick Me Up”
Franz Ferdinand, “Bullet”
AC/DC, “Shoot To Thrill”
July Talk, “Guns and Ammunition”
Beach volleyball venue:
Duke Dumont (feat. Jax Jones): “I Got U”
Kygo, “Stole The Show”
Major Lazer, “Lean On”
York, “On The Beach”
Ten Can-Con songs you might hear anywhere:
Trooper, “Raise a Little Hell”
Sam Roberts, “We’re All in This Together”
Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “Takin’ Care of Business”
There are so many new concepts going on in country music reissues. Two disc deluxe editions of classic albums. Box sets of an entire artist’s catalog, with the CD’s in miniature LP replica sleeves. Digital issues of concert recordings. (Wolfgang’s Vault is a thing. Check it out.) Two albums on one CD, or carefully curated collections of singles. Bear Family box sets that give you everything. Even 180 gram vinyl records are coming out at a rapid clip.
So I’m wondering what your wish list is. What reissues would you rush out to buy or download on day one?
Here’s my top five list:
Dolly Parton, The Complete RCA Albums Collection: 1968-1986
Willie Nelson, Deluxe Editions of Nineties Classics: Across the Borderline, Spirit, Teatro
Shania Twain, The Complete International Remix Collection: 1995-2006
Kay T. Oslin, Clean Your Own Tables: The Early Years
Trisha Yearwood, Rarities and Unreleased Tracks: 1992-2012
This week brought tax season to an end, and depending on how it went for you last year, you’ll be collecting a refund check or writing one out to the IRS instead.
Seems as good a time as any to share our five favorite songs about money!
Somehow this Shania Twain song perfectly summarizes 'Star Trek: The Original Series'
What is this mash-up witchcraft!?
By Donna Dickens | HitFix | August 3, 2015 6:15 PM
Have you ever wondered what “Star Trek: The Original Series” would look like as a music video? How about one set to the dulcet tones of Shania Twain? Well too bad, you’re getting it away.
And it’s shockingly good?
I don’t know why this exists and — quite frankly — I don’t care. I’m just glad it does. If you ship Bones with Spock, Kirk, or Scotty? Then this is your new theme song. If you ship all of them together? Send me that fanfic.
In case you don’t know how this is even a thing, enter the world fan music videos. They even have their own awards show!
Here's a 38-year-old version of the "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" singer performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville back in 2003 (left) and 12 years later ... the now 50-year-old country staple -- who announced earlier this summer that she is retiring from touring -- performing onstage in New York last month (right).
#LetTheGirlsPlay: Song Suffragettes Cover Shania Twain’s ‘Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under’
By Billy Dukes | Taste of Country | September 13, 2015
When you attend one of the weekly Song Suffragettes‘ performances, you’re likely to hear a song that represents scorned women everywhere. For a recent grand finale, the five ladies covered one of the best from that category. Watch as this group takes on Shania Twain‘s “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under.”
Kalie Shorr, Kasey Tyndall, Tiera, Lexi Mackenzie and Lauren Mascitti are the five Song Suffragette girls on stage to sing this song. As usual, Shorr leads off and takes lead on guitar. From there the group joins in with frequent #LetTheGirlsPlay guest Tyndall and the others filling out the remaining verses.
The #LetTheGirlsPlay movement was started to give aspiring women in country music a chance to be discovered. In addition to the weekly spotlights, one young singer or songwriter gets featured each month in a three-part spotlight series. This month Ella Mae Bowen is the artist of the month. Read more about her HERE.
The Canadian Press | Fri, 18 Sep 2015 12:15 a.m. CST
In 1995, Shania Twain won in five of the seven categories in which she was nominated at the Canadian Country Music Awards in Hamilton. The Timmins, Ont., singer took the honours for female vocalist of the year, as well as best single and video for "Any Man of Mine" and album of the year for "The Woman in Me." Twain and her producer-husband Robert "Mutt" Lange won for song of the year -- "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under."
Bit of a strange mention, but Shan is mentioned in the movie The Visit. One of the characters is using the names of pop singers as replacements for swear words, so the last words of the movie are actually "Shania Twain." Haha
__________________
"I'm a maker of love songs! A chanteuse!" - Shannie
Jazbaa singer Nilofer Wani sings an EXCLUSIVE cover of Shania Twain’s You’re Still The One – watch video!
by Karan Shah | Bollywood Life | September 30, 2015 10:19pm IST
There is a huge buzz surrounding Jazbaa and the songs of the film have touched the hearts of each and everyone.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s song Kahaaniya has become a hit and the singer of the song Nilofer Wani has done a great job indeed. So, when we sat down with the Kahaaniya singer for an EXCLUSIVE chat, we couldn’t stop ourselves from asking her to sing an international track.
The singer, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, sang a cover of Canadian singer Shania Twain’s famous track – You’re Still The One. When we asked her who she would like to collaborate from the west, she revealed, “I love Beyonce, Madonna and Shania Twain, so if I am given a chance I would love to collaborate with all of them. If I get that lucky, then it’s great. You never know, it’s all about our destiny.”
Check out the video below to see Nilofer Wani sing an EXCLUSIVE cover of Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One:
Saw this today on the internet... Shania is number 26 on the list of the Top 50 country music acts.
No. 26: Shania Twain
Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in the history of country music. The history! She's sold 75 million records with just four studio albums. In a day and age where album sales aren't as big as they used to be, Shania may remain on that perch for a long, long time. She may be there, forgive the pun, "Forever and Always." Shania's popularity is so grand that she has stars on the Walk of Fame in two countries -- America and her native Canada.
Shania ‘is still the one’ at the top of the charts
By Bud Christian | Opinion | South Platte Sentinel | November 18, 2015
Previous question: Who is the best-selling female country artist in history?
Answer: According to the August/September issue of “AARP magazine,” “You might not expect a girl from a small town in Ontario, Canada, to end up as the best-selling female country artist in history, but (Shania) Twain has done just that — rocking the genre with crossover megahits such as ‘You’re Still the One’ and winning five Grammys in the 1990s.”
According to a Wikipedia entry, “Twain was born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario on Aug. 28, 1965, the daughter of Sharon and Clarence Edwards. Her parents divorced when she was two and her mother then moved to Timmins, Ontario with Eilleen and her sisters Jill and Carrie Ann.
“Sharon married Jerry Twain, an Ojibwa from the nearby Mattagami First Nation, and they had a son together, Mark (not the famed author). Twain had a difficult childhood in Timmins. Her parents earned little money and food was often scarce in their household.
“Twain did not confide her situation to school authorities, fearing they might break up the family. In the remote, rugged community, she learned to hunt and to chop wood. Sharon and Jerry’s marriage was at times stormy, and from a young age, Twain witnessed violence between them.
“Sharon struggled with bouts of depression. In the summer of 1979, while Jerry was at work, at Twain’s insistence, her mother drove the rest of the family 420 miles south to a Toronto homeless shelter for assistance. Sharon returned to Jerry with the children in 1981.
“In Timmins, Twain started singing at bars at the age of 8 to try to help pay her family’s bills; she often earned $20 between midnight and one in the morning performing for remaining customers after the bar had finished serving. Although she expressed a dislike for singing in those bars, Twain believes that this was her own kind of performing arts school on the road.
“She has said of the ordeal, ‘My deepest passion was music and it helped. I hated going into bars and being with drunks. But I loved the music and so I survived.’ Twain wrote her first songs at the age of 10.
“On Nov. 1, 1987, Twain’s mother and stepfather died in a car accident, and as a result, Twain moved back to Timmins to take care of her younger siblings and then took them all to Huntsville, Ontario.
“There, she supported them by earning money performing at the nearby Deerhurst Resort. A couple of years passed and Twain’s siblings got older and moved out on their own. Twain assembled a demo tape of her songs and her Huntsville manager set up a showcase for Twain to present her material to record executives.
“She caught the attention of a few labels, including Mercury Nashville Records, who signed her within a few months. During this time, she changed her name to Shania, which was said to be an Ojibwa word that means ‘on my way.’
“However, there is continuing confusion about whether or not Shania is an Ojibwa word at all, and the debate will undoubtedly continue for the rest of her life.
“She married producer Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange in 1993 and their son, Eja was born in 2001. In 2008 a shocking revelation that her husband was cheating on her with her best friend was so devastating that her vocal cords seized up, and she lost the ability to sing.
“But, she pulled through, and in the finest country song tradition, she is now married to that unfaithful friend’s handsome ex, Frederic Thiedbaud, an executive at Nestle products.
“Twain is a devotee of Sant Mat, an Eastern spiritual philosophy that calls for daily meditation, as well as abstinence from alcohol, drugs and premarital sex.
“Twain marked her 50th birthday with a tour titled ‘Rock This Country,’ which ended on Oct. 27, which she says will be her last while insisting that she is not retiring and that her life and career are doing just fine.
“With all the heartache and personal difficulties she’s faced and conquered throughout her lifetime, Shania Twain is certainly qualified to inspire and create dozens of country songs.”
As someone who grew up on country music, I imagined Tyler Seguin swapping his jersey and skates for a Nudie suit and a classy pair of snakeskin boots and singing (one of my childhood favorites) Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
Instead, Katie tells us, they were listening to two other Shania Twain classics.
Busted, Little Mix and Fleur East cover 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman!' at the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Awards
THIS IS LEGIT BUSTED'S FIRST EVER REUNION PERFORMANCE
By Lizzie Cox | SugarScape | December 3, 2015
We'll tell you something for nothing - when Busted decided to get back together, we bet they didn't imagine that their first ever performance post-reunion would be a cover of Shania Twain SMASH HIT 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman!'.
However, that is exactly what has happened.
Yup, we shimmyed on down to Cosmopolitan's Ultimate Women of The Year Awards last night, to film a montage of celeb types singing Shania's jam.
Unfortunately this year the montage is slightly.... errrrr, shorter, than the 2014 version. And by that we mean it only features Busted, Little Mix and Fleur East.
By Sterling Whitaker | Taste of Country | December 21, 2015 2:00 PM
What a crazy year! 2015 has proven the truth of the old adage, “Anything can happen — and it usually does.”
This is the year we (finally!) saw a major new female star emerge to kick bro-country to the curb once and for all, in the process doing something that hadn’t been done in a decade. That wasn’t the only surprise breakthrough — a seemingly unlikely male artist had a major and unexpected career win in 2015, too.
2015 also saw a superstar walk away, while another beloved country star made his way back into the spotlight despite suffering serious medical troubles. We’ve seen surprise albums, the return of one of country’s most respected (and sometimes reviled) acts, and some seriously shocking breakups.
Take a look at the biggest surprises in country music in 2015 in the gallery above (click link below), and tell us what country music moment surprised you the most in the comments section below.
No. 10: Shania Twain Retires From Touring
Shania Twain delivered a double surprise in March. First she announced the Rock This Country Tour, her first road trek in more than a decade, then followed up by saying it was her last. The 70-date tour visited the U.S. and Canada before wrapping in October.