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Shania Twain’s honest playlist: ‘If Dancing Queen comes on, you rush out’
In a Guardian "honest playlist" feature, country-pop star Shania Twain shares candid musical picks, from the tracks that shaped her to the ones she keeps as guilty pleasures. She reveals that Ennio Morricone's "Gabriel's Oboe" once moved her to tears while driving at 22, showing her the emotional power of music, while Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" was the first single she bought as a teenager, inspiring her own songwriting ambitions.
Twain also admits to secretly loving Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" despite publicly dismissing it, and says Abba's "Dancing Queen" is unmissable at parties. Harry Styles's "Sign of the Times" gets her out of bed, Michael Jackson's "Ben" makes her cry, and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" is her karaoke go-to. She would choose Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" for her funeral, reflecting her philosophy that some things in life cannot be controlled. The interview coincides with the release of her album Little Miss Twain.
In short
- Shania Twain shares candid song picks in Guardian playlist feature
- Secretly loves Phantom of the Opera; Abba's Dancing Queen a party favourite
- Wants Bobby McFerrin's Don't Worry, Be Happy played at her funeral
Explained simply
Shania Twain is one of the world's best-selling country-pop artists, known for her commercial success since the 1990s and songs that blend country with pop styles. The Guardian's "honest playlist" is a feature series in which musicians candidly discuss songs they genuinely like and that have influenced them.
The format reveals unexpected musical choices and shows emotional connections artists have to songs across genres and decades. These interviews explore what has influenced musicians and what they genuinely enjoy listening to, offering insight into their personal taste.