Given the way Shania Twain dominated the stage at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards, delivering a jaw-dropping medley of her biggest hits, you’d never think that she ever struggled with her voice.
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However, in InStyle‘s new February cover story, the beloved country artist revealed that for more than seven years, she was unable to project vocally. Doctors then diagnosed the now 57-year-old with Lyme disease stemming from a 2004 tick bite, leading them to believe that the disease damaged nerves in her vocal cords.
After years of relearning how to sing with physical therapy and vocal warm-ups, the five-time Grammy winner underwent open-throat surgery in 2018. “After I had the surgery, I was petrified to make a sound,” Twain told the publication. “I didn’t know what was going to come out.”
Thankfully, the star worked up the courage to try again. “It did scare me, but I just had to take the leap and make a sound. And I was so excited about what came out,” she recalled. “It was a connection to the vocal cords and it came out very easily. I was really, really, really excited.”
“It’s a reminder, don’t take time for granted,” Twain added of the scary experience. “Don’t take the opportunity for granted. It’s possible I might lose it, that it may not last. I guess any prosthetic or support that you get that is synthetic, your body still may give out around it. It could happen.”
The now-healthy country queen is gearing up to head out on a 2023 global tour in support of her upcoming sixth studio album, Queen of Me, out on Feb. 3. “These days, I’m feeling very comfortable in my own skin – and I think this album reflects that musically,” Twain said via Instagram announcing the news. “Life is short and I want to be uplifted, colorful, unapologetic and empowered. I want to carry a clear message, particularly as a woman, to always remember my power and I hope the songs are a reminder to you, of that same power inside you!”
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