Shania Twain Thinks of Herself By Both Her Stage Name and Given Name
Country music icon Shania Twain has been through a lot of heartaches in her lifetime. From a traumatic childhood to a shattering divorce, Twain has endured more than many other artists could imagine. Still, she’s done it all with a smile on her face and a transparent attitude toward fame.
These days, Twain is still rocking it, performing sold-out shows every year and tackling surprising collaborations. She also doesn’t mind opening up about her personal life – and in a 2020 interview, the celebrity opened up about her past, discussing her somewhat surprising real name and admitting that there are some major differences between her stage name and her real-life alter ego.
What is Shania Twain’s real name?
Twain was born Eilleen Regina Edwards in 1965. Raised in Canada by her mother and stepfather, Twain showed evidence of strong musical talent from a very early age. Her family didn’t have a lot of money, and to help support them, Twain started singing in bars when she was just eight years old, according to an interview with The Guardian.
Twain told the publication that there was violence and depression in her home – which she escaped briefly when she moved to Nashville to try to make it big as a country star. A devastating crash that killed her mother and father forced Twain to return home to help support her siblings. Eventually, the budding artist was able to break out on her own, and by the mid-’90s, she started to experience commercial success as an artist.
What did Shania Twain say about the differences between her and ‘Eilleen’?
Even though Twain is one of the biggest stars in the music industry, well known for tunes like “You’re Still the One,” she’s retained a sense of humor about her life – and her given name. Twain told The Guardian that she still thinks of herself by both her stage name and her given name of Eilleen. “But when I speak to myself, I say Eilleen: ‘Come on, Eilleen!'” Twain joked.
She also described how, in her mind, Eilleen is very much a tomboy, with Twain admitting that “I never got to the point where I would wear a bathing suit on the beach. I was always very, very shy of my body.” Twain also got introspective, describing how:
“I’m a quiet person. I do like solitude. When I was a teenager, I was energetic, but annoyingly energetic. People called me ‘spaz.’ It wasn’t a compliment. It was a little bit hurtful.”
Shania Twain is still going strong
With a successful Las Vegas residency and with a new documentary chronicling her life streaming on Netflix, there’s a swell of new interest in Twain and her career. The artist who overcame a lot of adversity in her life is back in the spotlight and is showing no signs of abandoning her position as a country and pop icon.
As Twain told The Guardian in 2020, she’s fully accepted even the parts of herself that she used to struggle with. Noting a scar on her neck from surgery, Twain said:
“It’s supposed to go away. But if it stays, I don’t care. This is the difference. Whatever scars I have, I’ve earned … I’m comfortable in my own skin.”
For Twain’s fans, her refreshing honesty and no-filter take on life as a celebrity is part of what makes her such an influential and important singer. The fact that she’s also brutally funny and talented is just an added bonus.
