Shania Twain says ‘scary’ to step out of comfort zone
LOS ANGELES: Shania Twain is back with her fi rst studio album in 15 years, and has admitted it was “really scary” to step out of the comfort zone.
Her new album “Now” is due for release on Sept 29, and she has just performed at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.
On her decision to make a comeback after going through a series of heart- breaking events, Twain said: “So I stepped out of my comfort zone and it was really scary taking on that challenge of responsibility alone. But, it’s already been very rewarding to have overcome that anxiety of getting started and jumping in and reflecting on the challenging times that I went through.”
Twain, who has just turned 52, described the new album as “very personal and very pure,” reflecting both on her recent divorce and a bout with Lyme disease that almost ended her career.
“It was a very important thing for me to do for myself as an artiste to tell my own story, and express my emotions and opinions and exercise that independence,” said Twain, who became the best- selling solo female artiste in the world when her third album, Come on Over, sold over 40 million copies.
Her 14-year marriage to longtime producing partner Robert “Mutt” Lange ended in 2008, after she discovered he was allegedly having an affair with her close friend Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
So I stepped out of my comfort zone and it was really scary taking on that challenge of responsibility alone. But, it’s already been very rewarding to have overcome that anxiety of getting started and jumping in and reflecting on the challenging times that I went through.
The split became tabloid fodder and continued to make headlines in 2010 when Twain revealed she was engaged to Thiébaud’s ex-husband, Frederic. The two got married in 2011.
Since her last album Twain also lost her ability to speak and sing due to dysphonia, a vocal- cord disorder which she attributes to complications from Lyme disease. She still suffers from dysphonia, but physical therapy and long warm-up sessions before each performance have helped her regain her voice.
“I’ve learned so much about myself over the years. I’ve been through a lot, but I’m in a good place,” Twain said. “I’ve learned that I’m a fi ghter — I don’t give up. There’s a lot of determination in me.”
Shania Twain, country singer