Griffin 1

Molly Griffin

Mr. Phillips

Honors Cultural Media Literacy

21 May 2016

An in depth Analysis of the role of the Effect of Consumerism on Shania twains Music

Shania Twain pop country super star was born on August 28, 1965 in Windsor Ontario as

Eilleen Regina Edwards. Twain was raised in the northern forests of Timmins, Ontario and

would later on take the name Shania meaning Im on my way in honor of her step dads Indian

heritage. Growing up Twain recalls going days with nothing but bread, milk, and sugar. She

began showing a passion for music at an early age and was strongly encouraged to pursue it by

her parents as they hoped it would be a way out of poverty. Not long after singing in local bars

and restaurants in her early teens Twain began opening for well-known rock and country bands.

However she had anything but a normal childhood often spending her time helping her abusive

step father Jerry Twain as part of a reforestation crew in the Canadian back country. With five

mouths to feed her mother often was depressed but was hopeful Twains music could be a way

out of their desperation (Kettler).

At the age of 21 both of Twains parents were killed in a tragic car accident leaving her to

fend for her two teenage brothers and younger sister. It was at this time that Twain began

marketing her singing career and landed a steady gig performing at the Deer Hurst Resort in

Huntsville not too far from where she lived. She was then able to at last provide her younger

siblings with a stable home. Eventually however her siblings grew up and were able to make it

on their own without Twain. This is when Twains career really began.
 Griffin 2

Twain debuted her second album The Woman in Me released in 1995 when she really hit

success. This album featuring hit tunes such as Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under and

Any Man of MineMost of Twains artistic work has no connection to the hardships she faced

as a child. She has been quoted saying Weve geared the music to please everybody. So what

exactly does that mean? From all of her nominations and awards it appears Twain has tapped in

to the societal norms is order to become a hit singer (Encyclopedia).

Twain has become one of the most successful female artists due to her branding. Instead

of writing songs featuring her poor working class background she wrote songs about love. She

reached women everywhere with songs like Man I feel Like a Woman and Youre Still the

One. Twain used her music as an escape from a life of chaos and uncertainty and used it to

make her life one that is much more comfortable. However in order to get to the point where she

could attain a comfortable lifestyle Twain had to break her cycle of poverty. Although her parents

were not able to provide her with normal everyday things that most children take for granted she

was still able to make a name for herself like author JD. Vance who wrote a Hillbilly Elegy.

In Hillbilly Elegy JD. Vance one can see the similarities between his life growing up and

Twains. Not quite having enough to always get by yet an abundance of family members and a lot

of abusive on emotional and physical levels. However Vances Mamaw would not allow him to

give up or feel sorry for himself. His Pawpaw would help him with his math homework every

night so he could achieve the grades he wanted. It was with the help of his grandparents that

Vance was able to pull his grades up however not enough to get into college or afford it so he

went on to the Marines. He later went on to Ohio State after serving in Iraq and eventually to

Yale Law School where he obtained a law degree and now lives a comfortable middle class life.

With the support system he had growing up he was able to overcome his unfortunate
 Griffin 3

circumstances (Vance). With that support system there were still many obstacles due to his

Pawpaw coming forever drunk and his Mamaw a violent non drunk (Senior).

Twain however didnt have the same support system Vance held and was often abused by

her stepfather Jerry. In an interview with ABC news Twain recalls a terrifying experience in

when she thought Jerry had killed her mom Sharon. Twain states that It was the Jekyll and Hyde

in him that caused the greatest torture (Arons). She discusses in the interview the bewilderment

she still feels about her step father in his treatment of their family. Her parents although with

their toxic relationship supported her singing career especially Sharon who embraced her

daughters talent, making sacrifices the family could ill afford in order to get Twain to lessons

and gigs (Arons). This is similar to JD Vances sentiment about his mother stating the road to

hell, however is paved with good intentions (Vance,89). Although her parents tumultuous

relationship left her with emotional trauma there was support and benefit garnered towards

developing her earl career as a singer.

One of Twains most popular hits Man! I Feel Like A Woman! Is the perfect example of

how social norms affect the branding of artists particularly Shania Twain in this case. Instead of

Twains music representing the trials and tribulations she grew up with. She utilizes commercial

realism. Twains music advertises how life should be. In Man! I Feel Like A Woman! Twain

gives a feeling of empowerment to women with the lines The best thing about being a woman,

is the prerogative to have a little fun stating that women have an exclusive right to have fun.

Throughout the song Twain sings about letting loose without a care in the world and no judgment

something a lot of women most likely relate to. However this seems a little hypocritical when

juxtaposes with images of Twain wearing revealing clothing while men around here lick their

lips. In one sense it seems she saying in order to have fun you need to make yourself appear
 Griffin 4

available to men but at the time she is singing about being wanting to be free and feel the way I

feel.

Twain does not assert agency in her songs because she is often the object of romantic or

sexual desires from men in her music videos. Her lyrics in other hits such as That Dont Impress

Me Much contradict her physical appearance in the music video in which she is wearing a two

piece leopard print outfit presenting herself too various men only to turn them down. However it

is videos like this that make women think they can have it all. Twain had tapped in to societal

norms and expectations to produce music hand tailored to a specific audience mainly being

female based. Twain has definitely conformed to feminine stereotypes in order to sell herself to

the public. However like JD Vance stated in his book how these kind of tragic events in his

childhood never leave you on can never really escape the circumstances from which they born

into whether on an emotional or literal level. This is evident with Shania Twain as for the first

time in fifteen years she is releasing a new album with songs featuring the raw material that deals

with her past issues relating to her childhood.

Shania Twain has succumbed to female gender norms and societal expectations in order

to sell her product which is her music. Her aim is not to produce music as a reflection of her life

but rather to produce music that pleases the consumer. This is why the majority if not all of her

songs and music videos portray her living the life many of us aspire to have. In her music videos

Twain employs techniques such commercial realism and canting postures to garner the most

investment or support for her brand. Instead of showcasing her working class back ground she

showcases the middle to upper class that most people aspire to be a part of. The reasoning behind

this is simple due to pleasing her audience. An audience made up of people who want to escape
 Griffin 5

when listening to her music not be reminded of the everyday problems they face as working or

middle class individuals.

 Griffin 6

Work Cited

Arons, Melinda, and Lauren Effron. "Shania Twain Opens Up About Her Difficult Childhood, Heart-

Wrenching Divorce and Finding Love Again." ABC News. ABC News Network, 05 May 2011.

Web. 21 May 2017.

Kettler, Sara. "Shania Twain." Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017. Web. 21

May 2017.

Senior, Jennifer. "Review: In 'Hillbilly Elegy,' a Tough Love Analysis of the Poor Who Back

Trump." The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 Aug. 2016. Web. 21 May 2017.

"Twain, Shania." Contemporary Musicians. . Encyclopedia.com. 20 May.

2017<http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

Vance, J. D. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. Farmington Hills, MI:

Thorndike, a Part of Gale, Cengage Learning, 2017. Print.