Shania Twain says she loves that her 1997 hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” has become an anthem in this age of #MeToo and #TimesUp.
“It's liberating, that's what that song meant to me at the moment and it still means that," the Canadian superstar told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I was reaching a point in my life where I was only beginning to appreciate being a woman. Growing up I didn't see the value in fussing over my femininity, because it just brought stares that made me uncomfortable. So when I found the fun to be had there, I embraced it and I made an exclamation out of it.
“That song does still speak for a lot of women: we are what we are, and we're not going to be intimidated into losing our self-expression.”
Twain said she’s grateful that a new generation has embraced her music. “It's a huge compliment,” she admitted. “I was always true to myself and concerned about being a good example, and maybe that had a lasting effect? I don't know.”
The 53-year-old singer added: “Funny enough, I feel more appreciated now, all these years later.”
It was Twain, after all, who paved the way for artists like Taylor Swift to crossover from country music to pop.
“I'm absolutely underrated, of course,” she joked.
Twain explained: “I wasn't traditional in my music style or in my image, I was different and different makes some people uncomfortable. I had to have broad shoulders and not let it bother me. Instead of changing to suit naysayers, I carried on.”
Next year, she will show up as John Travolta’s love interest in the movie Trading Paint. “To keep my life interesting, I need those challenges,” she said of dipping into acting, “to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with things.
“I enjoy not being Shania in the spotlight sometimes.”