Man, Shania Twain feels like a Barbie! Much like the iconic doll, the country singer has been empowering women of all ages to break barriers and become all they dream to be through her music.
It’s no wonder the “You’re Still the One” artist has been selected as one of this year’s Barbie role models by Mattel.
“I was telling stories through my music by the time I was 10 years old,” Twain says in a statement. “Writing stories and being able to share them with friends, family, and even the world has always been cathartic and felt like a way to manifest the future I wanted for myself.”
“I applaud Barbie for encouraging girls to create their own narratives and I’m honored to serve as a storyteller and role model during their 65th anniversary year. Dreaming is wonderful, but being able to put those dreams into action is a crucial step that Barbie helps girls visualize,” she adds.
What Is a Barbie Role Model?
Since 2018, Mattel has been creating one-of-a-kind Barbies to honor influential women across the globe. The dolls are not available to purchase, but are instead given to the females who inspired them as a way to celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8).
This year the eight recipients — in celebration of Barbie’s 65th birthday — include Twain, Helen Mirren, Viola Davis, Kylie Minogue, Maira Gomez, Lila Aviles, Nicole Fujita and Enissa Amani.
All About Shania Twain’s Barbie
Twain’s Barbie is dressed in her iconic look from the music video for the ultimate female empowerment song, “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” — but there’s a twist. Her doll dons the black over-the-knee boots, trench coat and top hat from the 1990s video, but with Twain’s modern-day long pink locks.
The “Any Man of Mine” singer adopted the pastel look for her 2023 Queen of Me Tour which brings her Barbie’s look full circle.
The Significance of “Man, I Feel Like a Woman”
When Twain released “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” and the video to go along with it in 1997, she was at a stage in her career when she was stepping into her womanhood. She wanted to express her newfound confidence in a way that inspired others to do the same.
“That is the joy of getting in touch with your self courage, and saying, ‘I’m not afraid to be myself.’ That’s why I wrote the song in the first place,” she says of the track. “I was really starting to come into my own, not as a confident female, but I was just starting to feel confident in my female body. I was very self-conscious before that in all of my youth.”
Over the years, the “That Don’t Impress Me Much” hitmaker has remained true to herself, which has made her into a role model for women everywhere, just like Barbie.
“I take being a role model seriously because I know the impact one can have on somebody else’s life can be negative or positive. I choose to aim for the positive.”
Top 25 Shania Twain Songs — Her Biggest Hits and Best Deep Cuts
This list of Shania Twain’s best songs considers commercial success, cultural importance, legacy and song quality. Scroll through to see which of her songs is No. 1 and click on any link to listen.