Music history is set to be made on September 29 as country-pop superstar Shania Twain releases her first full-length album of completely new material in 15 years. The album, titled "Now," is set to feature 12 songs (16 songs for the deluxe version), 3 of which are already available on iTunes.
Wait, who is Shania Twain again?
Glad you asked.
Shania Twain is the original country-pop diva who managed to conquer two previously separate music markets with her unique musical style, agile voice, and breathtaking looks. She initially received widespread recognition in the country music market with her sophomore effort, "The Woman In Me," which earned her several hit singles, including "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" and "Any Man of Mine."
While "The Woman In Me" established her as a country artist, it was 1997's "Come On Over" that thrust her into global superstardom.
This album managed to successfully combine elements of country and pop music into one cohesive body of work that everyone (especially suburban moms) had to have. Now iconic singles off this record include "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!," "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "You're Still The One".
Twain followed "Come On Over" with "Up!" an extensive double album that followed her past recipe for success: hook-driven, uplifting Country Pop songs intermingled with heartfelt ballads. While "Up!" was by every means a successful project on its own, it failed to reach the cultural prominence set by its predecessor. In its defense, doing so would have been near impossible.
If she was so successful, why hasn't she released an album in 15 years?
Following the release of her Greatest Hits compilation record in 2004, fans began clamoring for a new album with new material, without ever receiving a definite answer as to what the hold up was until years later. Twain and her record label remained tight-lipped for several years, until it was later revealed that the singer was suffering from a neurological condition called vocal dysphonia, which makes speaking difficult, and singing near impossible.
Coupled with a dwindling career at the hands of a serious condition, Twain was also dealing with a deteriorating personal life in regard to her marriage with producer Mutt Lange. Lange was responsible for producing all of her albums (with the exception of her debut) and, in turn, taking her from her humble country roots to global pop-star status.
The couple wed in 1993, but in 2008, Twain discovered that her husband of fifteen years was cheating on her with her best friend. They divorced in 2010, and Shania lost not only the love of her life, but the very man who made her famous.
So, now what?
That brings us to today, where a rejuvenated Shania Twain is about to release arguably the most important album of her career. She maintains that "Now" is “not her divorce album,” and that fans should expect something different musically on this record. “This album is more diverse than any other album I’ve ever done — not that I’ve done a ton of albums, but it’s the most diverse of the albums I’ve done,” Twain explains.
Twain has certainly taken her time on this album, taking a much more laid-back approach to song writing than in the past, “it was the most fun hard work I’ve ever done so far.”
So far, three songs have been released ahead of the full album.
The lead single, “Life’s About to Get Good,” chronicles the emotional rollercoaster the diva has weathered in the past decade, but as the name suggests, it also focuses on moving on from difficult times rather than wallowing in negativity. “Life’s About to Get Good” is also one of the promotional tracks for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Other tracks include "Poor Me," which relates self pity to “pouring another” in a sly double entendre, and “Swingin’ with My Eyes Closed,” by far the most Twain-esque single out of the bunch.
The music industry that Twain left in 2002 is very different from the one she is returning to in 2017. 2002 was during the height of the music industry. "Up!" sold a whopping 850,000 units during its first week on sale in the United States, in comparison, the current number one album, "Science Fiction", by Brand New sold 58,000 units this past week.
Streaming is behind this massive deterioration in music sales; every year that goes by continues to demonstrate the ever-strengthening effects streaming has on the music industry.
Social media has given way to a shorter attention span in the music industry. In 2017, the most surefire way to get attention for your music was through social media, which is a dominated by teenagers and twenty-something-year-olds. This dangerous trend, coupled with single album or even single song recording contracts plaguing the business, has created a massive influx of “one-hit wonders,” and a deterioration of careers in music. The climate is geared to young and in-the-moment starlets, and discourages the cultivation and development of artists.
How will the current music business effect to Shania Twain?
The chances of "Now" reaching the levels of success of her back catalogue are virtually impossible and by no fault of her own. For starters, streaming has eroded music sales, so matching her past albums in sheer numbers is unattainable. Secondly, she is now entering an industry that has become so focused on the “up and coming” artist that it is almost discriminatory towards veteran artists.
Shania Twain was on top of the world in the late 90s and early 2000s. She went from total domination of the music industry to personal and professional crisis in a matter of years. "Now", she is returning to music, so let’s make sure to welcome her back properly and remind her that she’s “Still the One.”
"Now" is available for preorder on iTunes for $14.99 and will be released on Friday, September 29 through Mercury Nashville.
