Taylor Swift will always have Shania Twain in her corner. In a new interview, the “You’re Still the One” singer opened up about passing the country–pop torch to artists like the 14-time Grammy winner, whom Twain commended for “working her butt off.”
“She is living an exhausting existence, but she’s dedicated and committed to herself, to her art, and her work,” the Canadian singer-songwriter said in a Haute Living cover story, published Wednesday (April 17). “It isn’t even about ambition, though I’m sure that most people would call her ambitious.”
“She’s an extremely hard worker, and I’m sure she’s got giant goals,” Twain added. “But it’s not all about ambition: It’s about passion and committing yourself to your passion.”
Twain, however, has long been a friend and fan of Swift’s, and vice versa. The pair performed together at the 2019 American Music Awards, and in a 2021 TikTok, the Eras Tour star commended the “That Don’t Impress Me Much” musician for disproving the notion that “country girls can’t go pop” over the course of her career.
On the subject of paving the way for genre-bending artists such as Swift, Twain said, “it wasn’t like I intended on being a trailblazer or anything.”
“I was just trying to be original, my authentic self, and to do it with conviction,” she continued. “I’m an expressive person, and I put that into my music. I was saying it with attitude and with confidence because I meant it. Yes, I see it as a great compliment when someone calls me a trailblazer, but it’s not like I set out to do so. I was just being myself, and I think that’s served me very well.”