Shania Twain kicked off a Vegas residency in 2019 as part of a resurgence in popularity following her rise as the Queen of Country Pop in the nineties and early 2000s. In February of 2023, she also has a new album out and she recently released the art for the album, which includes a spread of the star semi-nude with a horse and naked (except for some mud) for a photoshoot to promote the new music on Queen of Me.
She first teased the photoshoot and end result in an Instagram post a few weeks ago, which shows her astride and behind a horse.
But there’s a second, limited edition release of Queen of Me that fans can pre-order that really shows Shania Twain at her most vulnerable. In a recent interview the Grammy winner opened up with Talk Shop Live about insecurities she had with her body as a teen and early in her showbiz career. She also explained exactly what message she was hoping to share with her fans around the world with her photo session.
Why Shania Twain Chose To Get Nude For Queen Of Me
First of all, the logistics. You may not be able to tell from the images above, but that’s actually Shania Twain mucking it about nude in the mud. Twain's been pushing the boundaries of country music for years but clarified why she wanted to throw caution to the wind and show her full self for the camera as well. In particular, I think her comment about shedding the “skin of insecurity” really resonates.
So, what I did was a photo session naked with just mud. That is from that photosession. I went further. I took the shirt off in that photograph… I am so not an exhibitionist. But it was all about my own message to myself and just saying it’s time to feel comfortable in my own skin. Share that ‘skin’ of insecurity.
Twain also got real about how she is getting older and not younger, as well. She mentions how she’s sometimes felt herself keeping the lights dim even when she’s just at home by herself and that she worked really hard to gain the perspective she needed to make that Queen of Me cover soar. The 57-year-old singer also touched on not having that confidence when she was younger.
Queen of Me is all about being the boss of myself and taking responsibility for what I put out there, what I project. My truth as I get older – which I wish I had this truth when I was younger – is to feel less apologetic for how I am, how I look, less affected by other people’s criticism. Following my own truth… I was a very insecure young girl. I was one of those teenagers that would never wear a bikini at the beach for example. Now I’m thinking, ‘Well, what was I thinking [then]?’... So I’m saying, ‘Well to heck with that. I didn’t do it when I was younger so I’m gonna do it now. I’m gonna feel –and show that I feel –comfortable in my own skin.’
She told the outlet she hopes fans are “inspired” and that many of the younger ones are able to instill in themselves their own confidence much earlier in life, though she admits it took her “years of blood, sweat and tears” to get to this point. It sounds like a far cry from where she was later in her career, when nude photos of Brad Pitt didn't impress her much.
Shania Twain has been candid about her life, her fame, and even suffering from Lyme Disease in the past. If Queen of Me piques your interest, check out her documentary Not Just A Girl with a Netflix subscription. It's one of the best things to binge on Netflix, in my opinion, and it gives you a lot more insight into the singer's lengthy career.
