Shania Twain’s ‘Not Just A Girl’ documentary was released on Netflix last month and it is her gift to us.

Shania Twain 56, takes us on a journey into her world from humble beginnings in Timmins, Ontario to her meteoric rise in Nashville, Tennessee.

Showing much love to her incredible loyal global fan base, Shania Twain also dropped a compilation album 2 weeks ago which features many country hits including the first song off the album of the same name. Shania keeps rising up. And 2022 is already a busy year for the Canadian-International recording artist.

Netflix’s Original Documentary – Not Just A Girl

I have seen Shania Twain’s career journey take off since she debuted on the charts. So as I watched her documentary, it is very easy to be impressed with her ambition and drive to be a respected female artist and songwriter in the music industry. Not only in the world of radio and popular music but in country music. It can be incredibly difficult for female artists who try to break through the conservativism of country music. But we believe Twain was successful at smashing through those barriers because she did it her way, and stayed true to her roots as a country-music artist.

We are captivated by the she’s not just a pretty face singer’s work ethic during her studio time. Twain’s female-empowerment lyrics combined with the well-styled and crafted videos are beautifully impressive on the eyes and ears. As seen in the doc, Shania got it from the start. Show business is a business and talent is what the artist brings to it wholeheartedly to create that perfect union.

In her own words, Shania Twain narrates and describes how her ‘rags to riches’ story began at the age of 8 years old.

She continuously worked as a singer in bars/clubs to make ends meet. Later, she would eventually make her first major televised appearance at the age of 14, on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).

Her parents were very supportive and proud of her. It was very apparent that young Shania Twain was disciplined and loved singing for audiences as well as her family. Although as a youth she started her music career in Canada singing country music, she had dreams of singing rock like her idol Pat Benatar. However, she kept her promise to her father that she would continue to pursue and sing country music.

We see that the Canadian-born artist was a gifted songwriter and singer from out of the gate, since her days in her hometown of Timmins. Twain was born in Windsor and moved to Timmins as a child when her Mother remarried. She is the eldest of her siblings. Her step-father, Jerry Twain was a full-blooded Ojibway (Native Indian) who legally adopted her and her two sisters. It was then, that Shania changed her last name to Twain and was later added to her father’s Native-Indian Status. Her step-father and mother also had a son.

Her documentary highlights how important her lyrics of self-love, identity as a woman and independence were meant to be felt through her music.

Her fans get to travel back in time to experience an intimate insight starting with her humble beginnings, and aspirations but also tragedy. She would eventually land in Nashville where her music career would skyrocket.

In April she appeared on stage with Harry Styles during his Coachella ’22 set.

The super-star shares details about her triumphs, and tragedies throughout her life.

Including her marriage to Robert Mutt Lange in 1993 and their divorce in 2010. She fell in love again and married her second husband, Fred Thiebaud in 2011. Twain and Lange share a son, named Eja (pronounced Asia).

When Shania Twain debuted on the Billboard charts back in 1993, little did she know she would become the best-selling country artist of all time and one of the best-selling singers in history. And she hasn’t looked back.

“Taking the risks to do things your way can be scary. You gotta be brave. You gotta just go for it!” – Shania Twain from Not Just A Girl Documentary

1993 was a big milestone for her. Twain released her self-titled album, Shania Twain met and fell in love with writer and record producer Mutt Lange. Together they would become a dynamic, energetic writing force that would burst the world of country music conservatism wide open.

Twain’s sophomore album, ‘The Woman In Me’ was released in 1995.

The Woman In Me would explode onto the Billboard charts in both the country and pop categories simultaneously  – giving her cross-over success.  It went on to sell over 40 million copies, making it the best-selling album ever by a solo female artist. (Whitney Houston holds that same title for ‘The Bodyguard – but for best-selling soundtrack album (various artists) with the most contribution by a solo female artist – credited to a woman).

Together, Lange and Twain created huge hits after hits and were co-writers on her next albums including her breakthrough album, The Woman In Me. She followed it up with not one but two more equally successful albums. In 1999, Twain was chosen as the Entertainer of The Year, by both the CMA (Country Music Association) and ACM (Academy of Country Music).

With three consecutive albums, ‘The Woman In Me’, Come On Over in 1998 and ‘Up’ in 2000, Twain would make history again.

With hits like Any Man of Mine, That Don’t Impress Me Much, From This Moment On, Man I Feel Like A Woman, and Up – she crossed genres and cemented herself into the hearts of millions of people around the world. She has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her the most successful female country music singer of all time as listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. And she is one of the best-selling artists of all time. The industry and her fans have dubbed her the queen of country music.

Shania Twain is the only singer to have 3 consecutive albums certified Diamond by the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America). Some of her achievements include:

• Numerous songwriting awards – BMI (Broadcast, Music Inc.)
• 5x time – Grammy Award winner in 96 & 99
• 5x winner – Academy of Country Music Awards
• Won several CCMA (Canadian Country Music Awards) and CMA (Country   Music Awards – USA)
• 13x winner – Juno Awards
• 11x winner – Billboard Awards
• Receives keys to the city of Timmins
• 2003 inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame
• 2005 Order of Canada honour
• 2011 presented a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame
• 2011 is presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2016 receives Artist of The Year Award – CMT (Country Music Television)

More accolades to come in 2022. This month of August, Twain will receive the Poet’s Award from the Academy of Country Music for her songwriting. And it was announced that she will also be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October. Shania is also continuing her second residency this year titled Let’s Go , in Las Vegas. She signed on back in 2019.

Not Just A Girl doc will include appearances by fellow singing sensations Lionel Ritchie, Avril Lavigne and the group Diplo. Via Mercury: Mercury Studios present A Mercury Studios Production The film ‘Not Just A Girl’ is directed and produced by Joss Crowley, while Alice Webb, Scott Rodger, Geoff Kempin & Fred Thiebaud serve as executive producers. 

Published by Holr Magazine