Shania Twain was one of the most popular artists, of any genre, during the '90s. With elaborate stage performances and the ability to blend country, pop, and rock, she helped make country music known worldwide. To this day, she is the only artist in history to have three consecutive diamond albums. Her unapologetic style also helped to give women the confidence to chart their own paths. In honor of '90s country month at The Nash News, we are taking a closer look behind the icon.

Twain's story began as Eileen Edwards. The singer was born in Windsor, Ontario Canada, and was a lover of music from a very young age. By eight she could play the guitar, and by ten she was writing her own songs. Her parents divorced while she was a child and her mom remarried Jerry Twain. He adopted Edwards and she became Eileen Twain. By 18, Twain began performing around Toronto. Tragedy struck the singer in 1987 when a car accident killed both of her parents. For a time, her dreams were put on hold.

Once she was back to performing, her demos had made their way to Nashville. Twain signed her recording contract to Polygram Records, known today as Mercury Nashville. She was advised to change her first time to something other than Eileen, so she chose Shania which translated to "I'm on my way" in the language of Ojibwe.

Her debut album arrived in 1993, but didn't find the success the singer was hoping for. She became frustrated with the lack of artist control and vowed to change that for her next record. Twain co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs on her 1995 album The Woman In Me. That album spawned the hit "Any Man Of Mine." It also won the Grammy award forBest country Album. Some criticized the record for being too pop and not even country, a criticism Twain would often receive.

The 1997 album Come On Over saw even greater success. It included chart-toppers "Man! I Feel Like A Woman," "You're Still The One," and "That Don't Impress Me Much." Twain wrote songs that inspired women everywhere to feel good about themselves. She went on to win several more awards for this body of work, including a CMA Award for Entertainer of the Year. At the time, this was the best-selling country album of all time.

Her success carried right into the new millennium. Her 2022 album Up! had both country and pop versions for fans. She continued to tour before taking a step back from music. Her personal life became tabloid news as her marriage to producer Robert Lange ended. Twain went on to marry Frederic Thiebaud in 2011, whom she is still with to this day.

Make sure to check out her documentary Not Just A Girl on Netflix now.

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