Shania Twain, the best-selling female country artist ever, rose to global stardom in the 1990s. Often called the \u201cQueen of Country Pop,\u201d her success story hides a life of hardship and resilience.<\/p>\n
Born Eilleen Edwards in 1965 in Ontario, Canada, she grew up in poverty with an absent biological father and a difficult family life. Her stepfather, Jerry Twain, adopted and raised her, but the household struggled financially, and Shania often performed in bars as a child to help pay the bills.<\/p>\n
Despite a troubled home and brief time in a homeless shelter, music remained her passion. She began performing publicly at 8 and appeared on national TV at 13. After moving to Toronto and working odd gigs, tragedy struck in 1987 when both her parents died in a car accident. At just 22, Shania paused her dreams to raise her younger siblings.<\/p>\n
She later worked at a resort where her talent caught attention. Her big break came with a 1993 debut album, followed by massive success from\u00a0The Woman in Me<\/em>\u00a0(1995) and\u00a0Come On Over<\/em>\u00a0(1997), the latter selling over 40 million copies. Her blend of country and pop, often co-written with producer and then-husband Mutt Lange, reshaped the genre.<\/p>\n In 2001, she welcomed a son, Eja. But in 2008, her marriage ended after Lange\u2019s affair with her best friend. Devastated, Shania later found love again with Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Thi\u00e9baud \u2014 the ex-husband of the same friend \u2014 and they married in 2011.<\/p>\n Now 59, Shania lives privately in Switzerland but continues to perform, including a Las Vegas residency. Despite insecurities about aging, she remains a cultural icon, credited with paving the way for artists like Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got songs to write,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m not gonna sit around.\u201d<\/p>\n