Shania Twain has said she encouraged Jon Bon Jovi to undergo vocal cord surgery in 2022, sharing her own experience after he expressed concern about the risks to his voice. The advice mattered because singing is central to Bon Jovi’s career, and he was reportedly anxious about a procedure that could affect his ability to perform.

Twain said the pair had initially bonded after meeting on a flight and that she gave Bon Jovi her surgeon’s details while urging him to consider all outcomes. She warned him that the operation involved being awake for open-throat surgery, but said it had worked for her; Bon Jovi later called her his “spirit sister” and credited her encouragement with helping him proceed. He has since returned to the stage, while Twain said her own voice is different after surgery but that she remains grateful to be able to sing.