Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

A31
PEOPLE/ARTS Friday 22 September 2017

Never say never: Shania Twain finds new voice after illness

By MESFIN FEKADU trying: “I had sound like a
AP Music Writer dying cow for a long time
NEW YORK (AP) — After be- before I was able to re-
coming a global icon and ally make any sounds that
one of the world’s best-sell- were pleasing at all.”
ing singers of all-time, Sha- But Twain, who has per-
nia Twain had to utter the severed since her career
scariest five words a vocal- launched in 1993, was
ist would ever hear: “I may ready to do the work to
never sing again.” rebuild her voice, and life.
The queen of country pop She trained with coaches
contracted Lyme’s dis- and worked extensively on
ease, which crippled her her vocals, comparing the
most prized instrument experience to an athlete
— her voice — and she recovering from a major
thought her singing career injury.
was over. Twain tested out her voice
“It can kill you. And if it in various ways in the 17
doesn’t kill you, it can give years in between her last
you a seriously degener- album, 2002’s “Up!,” and
ated quality of life for the her newest effort, “Now”:
rest of your life,” she said in She sang duets with Lionel
a recent interview. Richie and Michael Buble
It didn’t kill Twain, but the for their own albums; she This Aug. 28, 2017 file photo shows Shania Twain performing at the opening night ceremony of the
process of finding her voice completed a residency in 2017 U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York.
again was gruesome and Las Vegas; and launched a
successful U.S. tour, recon- country star with pop flavor cause they respected her
Kiss members Gene necting with the fans that had trouble settling into the decision to write each song
helped her sell more than new town. She eventually by herself, something she
Simmons, Ace Frehley 90 million albums world- married producer Robert hadn’t done since before
“Mutt” Lange, and they recording with Lange.
wide.
“I feel triumphant,” Twain co-wrote some of her most “I was motivated by the
reunite on stage said, who will release her successful songs, but they challenge of carrying the
risk or the weight of doing
new album on Sept. 29. “I later divorced.
just feel like I’ve climbed Cindy Mabe, president it without any guidance or
this huge mountain and I of Universal Music Group any influence, any feed-
made it to the top. ...And, Nashville, said the new back. That to me was the
you know, coming from a album is a reflection of ultimate test of indepen-
time when I really thought Twain’s entire life and it dence,” she said.
I would never record an marks the first time the sing- The album’s lead single,
album again, that I would er has opened up so much the fun and breezy “Life’s
never tour again, that I in her music. About to Get Good,” cap-
would never sing profes- “This is more raw, more tures Twain’s energy per-
sionally again.” vulnerable and more real fectly: She’s happy, and
“And now here I am with a than you have ever known ready for the next chapter
whole album,” she contin- this person to be,” Mabe of her life and musical ca-
ued, “it’s like a small mira- said. “She actually lets you reer. The song peaked at
cle really for me person- in to what’s happening in No. 33 on Billboard’s Hot
ally.” her life and ... this is about country songs chart, and
“Now” is probably Twain’s her really framing her life despite having an album
Gene Simmons, left, performs at The Children Matter: Houston most personal album to and kind of understand- that sold more than 20 mil-
Benefit Concert at CHS Field Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017 in in St. date. She wrote all 16 ing where she is and how lion units in the U.S. and two
Paul, Minn. songs alone — a rarity in she fits into things and then others sell more than 10 mil-
ST. PAUL, Minn. Simmons helped orga- today’s music world — and sharing it with world. This is lion each, Twain and her la-
(AP) — Original Kiss nize for the Minnesota- she spilled her feelings and the most brave record that bel aren’t feeling pressure.
members Gene Sim- based charity Matter. emotions in the songs, even she’s ever made.” “Am I pleased where the
mons and Ace Frehley ngo. crying and breaking down In the near two decades first single went? Not really,
have reunited for their The nonprofit focuses on in the studio throughout the in between albums, Twain but I’m just about exposing
first public appearance feeding and aiding chil- process. Though she is one was busy raising her son and this record. So with all the
since their group was dren worldwide, but af- of the most celebrated mu- got married again. But she other things that we have
inducted into the Rock ter Harvey struck Texas sicians in history and she’s still wrote songs, collecting dropping I’m pleased,”
and Roll Hall of Fame in in late August the con- found a lifetime success in poems, lyrics and melodies Mabe said. “We have
2014. cert’s theme turned to performing, her life hasn’t over the years. She spent made noise and ...I feel
been easy.
two years creating “Now” good about where we’re
But unlike that terse cer- assistance for Houston Twain, who had a rough and worked with four pro- going with this record and
emony, the Star Tribune and surrounding areas. childhood in Canada, ducers on the project: Ron that it will be exposed.”
reports , they came to Frehley took the stage grew up poor and around Aniello (Bruce Springsteen), “The industry has changed
St. Paul’s CHS field to about three-fourths of abuse. Jake Gosling (Ed Sheeran), so much now. ...It’s like
play Wednesday night the way into Simmons’ Her parents died in a car Jacquire King (Kings of comparing apples and or-
in their first show togeth- set, then tore into “Cold crash and she took on Leon) and Matthew Koma anges now,” Twain said of
er in 16 years. Gin” and “Shock Me” the role of caring for her (Zedd, Carly Rae Jepsen). selling albums today com-
The event was a hurri- before the finale “Rock three younger siblings. She Twain said she picked pared to the 1990s and
cane relief benefit that and Roll All Nite.”q moved to Nashville, but the those collaborators be- early 2000s. q