From leopard print and stadium tours to hooks that defined entire decades, Shania Twain has built a career on being unforgettable. Now, as she celebrates her 60th birthday, we’re looking back on the moments that made her a superstar, a style icon, and one of music’s most enduring trailblazers.
When The Woman in Me was released in 1995, country music was in the midst of a boom, but Twain’s approach was different. Working with producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange, she fused polished pop production with the conventions of Nashville songwriting, introducing a new template for country-pop. The album sold more than 20 million copies, earned her a Grammy and a JUNO, and produced “Any Man of Mine,” a track that remains a touchstone for modern country-pop. It positioned Twain not just as a rising star, but as a disruptor of the country genre.
If The Woman in Me introduced Shania Twain as a star, Come On Over established her as a global phenomenon. Released in 1997, the album delivered a run of singles that defined late-’90s radio, from ballads like “You’re Still the One” and “From This Moment On” to uptempo hits such as “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” Its broad appeal allowed it to dominate country, pop, and adult contemporary formats simultaneously. With more than 40 million copies sold worldwide, it remains the best-selling studio album by a solo female artist.
Few music video moments are as instantly recognizable as Shania’s leopard-print hooded coat and matching pants. Playful and camp on the surface, the look underscored Twain’s sharp grasp of image-making in the MTV era, where a single outfit could become as iconic as a song. In the years since, it has been parodied, referenced by artists like Harry Styles and Avril Lavigne, and even revisited by Twain herself. Decades later, leopard print and Twain remain inseparable.
“Let’s go, girls.” With four words and a top hat-and-boots ensemble, Shania delivered a feminist party anthem that transcended languages, genres, and generations. “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” first appeared on Come On Over in 1997 but wasn’t released as a single with its now-iconic video until 1999, a move that extended the album’s extraordinary chart run. Playful, cheeky, and fiercely independent, the song became a karaoke staple, earned Twain a Grammy, and continues to electrify audiences decades later.
By 2003, Twain had already conquered global charts, but her appearance at Super Bowl XXXVII confirmed her place as a mainstream superstar. Opening the halftime show ahead of No Doubt and Sting, she delivered “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “Up!” to an audience of roughly 88 million. It was a career-defining moment that showcased her ability to command not just arenas, but one of the biggest platforms in live entertainment.
That same year, she hosted The JUNO Awards, showcasing her trademark mix of confidence and humour. Dressed in a series of playful, bedazzled hockey jerseys representing Canadian NHL teams, her performance as host highlighted not just her star power but her ease in representing Canada’s Biggest Night in Music. Beyond her hosting duties, she also dominated the night’s honours, taking home Artist of the Year, Country Recording of the Year for “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!,” and The JUNO Fan Choice Award.
Her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2011 was a formal acknowledgment of what audiences already knew: Twain had changed the trajectory of Canadian music. By that point, her influence was visible in the generation of artists following her, country and pop stars alike, who cited her as proof that global success was possible. The honour underscored not only her sales and accolades, but the way she had shifted expectations for Canadian talent on the world stage.
After nearly a decade away from the stage, Twain launched her first Las Vegas residency, Shania: Still the One, in 2012. It was a comeback that reminded audiences of her strength as a live performer, pairing her catalogue of hits with theatrical production. She doubled down in 2019 with Let’s Go!, an even larger-scale residency that ran until 2022. Both shows demonstrated her ability to adapt to the changing landscape of live entertainment, proving her music wasn’t just a product of the ’90s but a lasting draw for fans old and new.
The release of her documentary Not Just a Girl in 2022 offered a retrospective on Twain’s career, charting her rise, her setbacks, and her repeated reinventions. The documentary highlighted her resilience in the face of vocal struggles and personal upheaval, placing her success in a broader narrative of persistence. For longtime fans, it reaffirmed her place in music history; for new audiences, it provided a concise entry point into the story of an artist who reshaped country-pop and left an unmistakable mark on global pop culture.
Featured photo: 2011 Juno Awards Broadcast. Red Carpet. Shania Twain. Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario. March 27, 2011. Photo: CARAS/iPhoto
