Last week we discussed how our pal Kenny Chesney is having a busy summer, newswise. Well, same is true for Ms. Shania Twain. After years of hearing nothing from the gal--she's suddenly all over the place.
Last year, of course, Twain's marriage to producer Mutt Lange broke up, allegedly due to his affair with the couple's longtime secretary. Twain responded to this by forming a somewhat unexpected love triangle (er...rectangle???), joining forces with the secretary's ex-husband, Fred Thiebaud.
Then, of course, just the other week we heard she's set to be a guest judge on American Idol. And THEN, just recently, rumors swirled that Twain was sporting a sparkling ring and engaged to Thiebaud (the rumors were denied by her reps).
So yes, there's been quite the whirlwind of things going on with Ms. Twain. Ya think? On one hand it's really nice to be hearing so much about her after such a long absence. We really missed you, Shania! On the other hand--this all sounds like a soap opera and kind of exhausting.
Never fear, though, fans--on her birthday yesterday, the singer decided to let everyone know...and SEE...that she's doing just fine. On her official website, Twain posted a letter to fans to let them know she's "very much alive and well," discussing her activities over the past few months, and generally getting everyone caught up with her personal life.
The SEE part? Twain also included a video, showing some of her recent and various travels around the world. "Traveling has helped a great deal," she explained. "I consider myself on a journey of discovery and recovery."
Fans get to watch Twain skydive, plus visit global hotspots (including Egypt, Dubai, and the Swiss Alps). She warns in her letter that the videos were mostly shot via cell phone--"It's all very candid footage so be ready to see a lot of me without makeup, no touch ups, some bad hair and looking pretty goofy." (As you've probably guessed, she still looks far better than you or me on our best days, but whatever.)
As for the rumors surrounding her new relationship? Twain addresses her relationship with Thiebaud as well, calling him "A dear friend and true gentleman," and noting that he "has been the most constant companion of support for both (Twain's son) Eja and me.
"Having gone through the suffering of his family splitting apart at the same time under the same extreme circumstances, he understood me better than anyone," she notes. "We leaned on one another through the ups and downs, taking turns holding each other up. We've become stronger and closer through it all."
Happy birthday, Shania. Thanks for letting us know you're doing great--can't wait to see you on AI!
Watch the entire video at shaniatwain.com for yourselves and let us know what you think. (Yeah, yeah. I told you she looks fine without makeup.)
As always, be sure to: