On ‘Little Miss Twain,’ Shania Twain reflects on her humble beginnings and her late mother - AP News

What the report says

Associated Press reports that Shania Twain’s new album, “Little Miss Twain,” looks back at a lesser-known part of her life: her childhood and young adulthood in Northern Ontario before she became a major country star. In an AP interview, Twain described performing from about age 8 in small-town Canadian bars for miners, lumberjacks, fishermen and hunters, sometimes entering only after alcohol service had ended because she was underage.

The album, released by Republic Records and due out Friday, is framed by Twain as a personal account of the years leading up to her major-label record deal in her late 20s. She told AP that some songs, including “Rockstars” and “Northern Town,” had been in development for years, while the title track became an emotional centerpiece connected to her late mother.

According to AP, “Little Miss Twain” reflects on Twain’s mother, who died with Twain’s stepfather in a 1987 car crash and did not live to see her daughter’s later success. Twain said her mother had served as a driver, coach and informal career supporter during those early performances. The title song features Tanya Tucker, an artist Twain’s mother admired, and includes background vocals from Twain’s son, Eja D’Angelo Lange, who appears on multiple tracks.

AP also notes that the album draws from country, Motown, rock and blues influences, with contributors including Josh Homme and Ronnie Wood. Twain, a five-time Grammy winner, said her current voice has changed after Lyme disease damaged nerves in her larynx and surgery in 2018 helped restore her ability to sing, giving the new record a rougher vocal texture.