What Is Shania Twain’s Real Name?
Shania Twain recently released her sixth studio album, Queen of Me. Twain is also gearing up for her tour. She’s back and better than ever after taking a break from the music industry. What is Twain’s real name? Here’s what we know.
Shania Twain had a difficult childhood
Twain says her family struggled financially when she was a child. There were times when they didn’t have enough money to pay for food, electricity, and heating.
“It was really clear early on that we weren’t like the other kids,” Twain tells the Today show’s Hoda Kotb. “All the other kids came to school with lunches. I would always sit there going, ‘Oh my gosh. Is she not going to eat her apple?’ When my teacher would ask [where my lunch was], I would say, ‘Oh, I forgot it,’ or ‘It’s in my locker.’”
Twain describes singing as an “escape.” Performing provided a distraction by helping her forget she was hungry.
“I would definitely take my guitar and I would go out to the bush,” says Twain. “I would light a fire and write songs. That was the greatest escape.”
Shania Twain’s real name
Twain’s real name is Eilleen Regina Edwards. During an episode of Home Now Radio on Apple Music Hits, she explains why she changed her name.
“A lot of celebrities are born with a different name than they end up with as a stage name, and I’m one of those people,” says Twain. “It’s actually a long story. In short, I was born Eilleen Regina Edwards, and then I was adopted, and I became Eileen Regina Twain. Then I became a professional singer, and I needed a stage name that sounded a little less like my grandmother’s name, because I’m named after my grandmother, both my grandmothers, Eilleen and Regina.”
Twain continues, “I think, in my mind, I was just not really wanting to be called my grandmother’s name onstage, so I decided to change it to Shania Twain. I met somebody with the name Shania, thought it was beautiful, and Shania Twain was born.”
Shania Twain enjoys sharing her knowledge with young artists
Twain says she feels like an “aunt” to some of the younger artists she meets. They ask for advice and look to her for guidance. She enjoys helping in any way she can.
“Artists will ask for advice or will share stories, and I feel a little bit like an aunt in a way,” Twain tells InStyle. “It sort of makes me feel auntie-ish, which I like. I enjoy it. I’m a nurturing person and I like to share my experiences.”
Adds Twain, “I’ve gone through them, so what good are they if I can’t pass them on or share them? It’s like dying with a good recipe. It’s a shame. Nobody wants to keep that for themselves. I enjoy passing any of it on.”
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