Shania: Anatomy of a Comeback

In many ways, 2011 has been a comeback year for Shania Twain.  It began, almost symbolically, with her wedding on New Year’s Day to Frédéric Thiébaud.  Shania told Country Countdown USA host Lon Helton that Fred provided the inspiration to the reality TV series. “He started filming me a lot as I was songwriting around the house.  And I was watching myself and I thought, maybe I CAN do this, maybe it’s not that far out of reach.  Part of my fear was can I write alone after all these years, can I make records alone after all these years of being partners with Mutt?  So the pressure was there, and I said to myself that I need to discipline myself if I’m ever going to do this again.”

Shania’s manager suggested Oprah Winfrey’s new OWN Network, and she took the idea to them.  The deal was announced in April, and by May, the series was on the air.  Shania told Lon that she needed the finality of a deadline. “I made a commitment to Oprah and myself.  By making a commitment to the network, that is what really helped me remain pro-active.  If I had a choice to back out, I would, and didn’t want to leave myself that option.  Caesar’s Palace was the same idea.  That gave me a goal to reach, and I’m sure I can meet it.” 

Shania announced the 2 year performance residency in Las Vegas, starting December 1, 2012, at a Nashville Press Conference on June 8th.  That night, she appeared on the CMT Music Awards.  The next day, she was honored at a Nashville party for selling 75 million records.  On Friday night, she introduced Sugarland at the CMA Music Festival.  After that, she told Lon she had a very busy summer ahead of her. “I have to pick the producer for the Caesar’s Palace show, and a producer for the new music, because I’ve written a whole lot of songs in the last year.  So it’s going to be a very creative year all the way around.”  As her name suggests, Shania is once again “on her way.”

LISTEN: 11-25 Shania6

MORE of Lon’s interview with Shania can be found HERE

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Category: CO-HOST