Shania Twain is a global superstar. Therefore, it's hard to imagine her ever having an ounce of anxiety on the stage. However, in a recent interview with American Songwriter, the country superstar revealed that she initially dealt with some stage fright in her early career.
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"I developed stage fright because I was just uncomfortable," Twain, 61, said. "I was breathing in really heavy, thick smoke because everybody smoked in those days in those bars. And most people were intoxicated. The majority of the audience were men at that time of night. I would normally go on at midnight when the bar actually closed, so the environment was inappropriate for my age. Also, I was going to be tired the next morning for school."
However, it was those same difficult experiences that helped build up Twain's confidence. She noticed that despite the circumstances, the crowd would applaud at the end of her show.
"They were acknowledging that I was a standout. I realized, 'Okay, I guess I'm doing something right,'" she explained.
As with most things in life, experiences often prepare you for things to come. For Twain, she realized that her late-night shows to begin her career had prepared her for life in Nashville.
"I had no anxieties about those things, so I was very ready, and I wasn't going to be overwhelmed, the same way somebody just coming out of college and starting their career would be, maybe,'" she said.
Shania Twain Believes She Started Performing Too Young
When speaking with The New York Times in August, Twain admitted that she believes she started performing at too young an age.
"My mother really wanted me to be on the stage," she said. "So she got me up there very, very young. Too young."
Twain has put together a legendary career. She's known worldwide and has sold out tours and countless albums. Clearly, starting young didn't hurt her trajectory. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean it was the right thing to do. After all, your childhood only comes around once, and when it's gone, you're not getting it back.
Still, Twain can use her experience to help others avoid similar pitfalls. After all, part of being a staple in the industry is having the ability to pay things forward and provide advice for the next generation.
