On Tuesday, April 27th, 2010, country music sensation Shania Twain will return on America's top reality singing competition, American Idol to serve as the latest mentor for the show's Top 6 contestants, which will be performing Twain's classic hits. Earlier in this American Idol season, Twain joined permanent judges Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi and Simon Cowell as a guest judge in the Chicago auditions. This week, Twain will join an elite list of mentors who have served as country music mentors on American Idol including Martina McBride, Randy Travis and Twain's own biggest musical influence, Dolly Parton.
Shania Twain has helped transform the modern country music scene forever. Twain has set the standards high and helped pave the road for other contemporary female artists in country music. According to fellow country diva Faith Hill, "Shania Twain brought a whole other fan base to country music with her sound, the way the videos were produced."
Shania Twain's talent is not limited to her mellifluous vocals. Twain serves as co-writer for the majority of her songs in her records, and in her live concert shows, she is found accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, especially on her signature song "You're Still the One."
Shania Twain's Noteworthy Record Sale Success
Presently, Shania Twain has sold over 48 million records in the United States. Her record sales have expanded to her native country, Canada, Australia, as well as multifarious Asian and European countries respectively. Twain is the only artist in musical history to have three consecutive albums, "Come On Over," "The Woman In Me," and "Up!" reach diamond certification, which is an honor bestowed to albums that sell over ten million copies.
Particularly impressive about Twain's single releases is their versatility and relatability. Even if her fans are not fans of the country music genre, Twain's music stands out since there is a song in each and every Shania Twain record that appeals to every person. Her music singles, seven of which peaked at #1 on the country charts, are country-pop uptempo tunes such as "I'm Gonna Getcha Good," "Up!" and the sassy "That Don't Impress Me Much," or bittersweet love ballads such as "From This Moment On," "You're Still The One," "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing," and "When You Kiss Me," that her musical audience can relate to, enhancing their respect and admiration for Shania Twain even more.
Shania Twain's International Appeal
In addition to the country music audience, based predominantly in Nashville, Twain's music has had international appeal. Her 2002 acclaimed album "Up!" came in three different versions including a country disc, a pop disc, as well as an international disc with Bollywood elements, in an effort to please all her fans worldwide. Furthermore, Twain resides in Europe in a luxurious castle in Switzerland.
Shania Twain Has Earned Many Accolades
In addition to winning six Grammy awards in the country music categories, Shania Twain was the recipient of the 1999 coveted "Entertainer of the Year" award at the Country Music Association (CMA) awards, becoming the first woman since 1986, when Reba McEntire won, to receive this magnanimous honor. Furthermore in 2002, in a list that included Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton, Country Music Television (CMT) ranked Twain as the #7 Greatest Woman of Country Music. In her native Canada, Shania Twain was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in November of 2005.
The Verdict
For all these aforementioned reasons and more, Twain serving as a mentor on American Idol is a very fitting decision. Twain has had many successful songs on the Billboard country and adult contemporary charts, so choosing a Shania Twain song to perform should not be a difficult task for the American Idol contestants to undertake. In addition to her natural beauty, Twain has the appropriate personality, talent, and experience to coach these American Idol contestants and assist them in reaching their full potential.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
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