Shania Twain documentary now streaming
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A Netflix documentary released this week traces Shania Twain’s journey from a small mining town in Ontario to the heights of superstardom.
- "Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl" is a 90-minute celebration of her trailblazing talent.
Why it matters: Twain is one of the most consequential artists in country music history, and her influence touches nearly every aspect of the genre today.
- The pop and rock elements that rippled through songs like "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "Any Man of Mine" have now become the norm on country charts.
Zoom in: The documentary uses interviews with Nashville executives and behind-the-scenes footage to show how she pushed her career into the upper echelon.
By the numbers: Twain is one of only two women to have three albums reach diamond status with the Recording Industry Association of America. The other is Whitney Houston.
- Twain's album "Come On Over" is the top certified album by a solo female artist in RIAA history, with 20 million shipped in the U.S.
What they’re saying: "She paved the way not only for women in country, but for musicians everywhere," Orville Peck said in the documentary.
- "I do not think that I would have the career that I have and the career that I want to continue to have had Shania not been Shania," Kelsea Ballerini said.
Our take: Twain's sales are staggering, and her influence is undeniable. She is the dotted line connecting Dolly Parton to modern crossover stars such as Taylor Swift.
- But, perhaps because of her breaks from the industry and relatively small catalog, she somehow seems underrated.
- "Not Just a Girl" makes a fine case for her place on country's Mt. Rushmore.