Shania Twain Admits Lyme Disease Triggered Vocal Issues
"My problem isn’t unique, or rare, but the exercises are very different than for nodules, and I can’t get an operation for mine," Twain revealed in an interview.
For years, Shania Twain kept her vocal problems on the hush-hush because she didn’t want her fans to worry in times of tested patience. But the country icon is finally coming clean as to what caused her voice to take a wrong turn.
Many singers hit a wall when their nodules decide to turn against them for overexertion or exhaustion after giving their power away night after night on stage. While Twain suffered the same consequences as her musical peers, she soon found out that it wasn’t the overuse that changed up her sound but rather a disease she couldn’t cure overnight. The singer had developed dysphonia, a condition brought on by stress, but one she attributes to contracting Lyme disease.
“A singer’s typical problem is nodules on the vocal cords from overuse or poor technique,” she said in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. “That was not my problem. My problem isn’t unique, or rare, but the exercises are very different than for nodules, and I can’t get an operation for mine.”
Working through the unexpected speed bumps, Twain focused on her health while also maintaining a steady schedule to keep her voice flowing. Rather than most artists taking a rest from their time performing, Twain decided to move through the ailment.
“With nodules, you can’t speak; you’ve got to rest, rest, rest,” Twain told the publication. “With mine, you’ve got to work, work, work.”
The end result came out with Twain on top, ready to bring her voice back just in time for summer. She’ll release a new song, “Life’s About to Get Good,” at the beginning of the warmer months, and she feels as though this is where she is supposed to be after taking years off from the spotlight.
“When those things come together, it’s all very satisfying. That is where the craft of writing comes in, the more soulful purpose of the meaning of the song comes out,” she explained.
Twain’s first single off her forthcoming record is set to hit radio in June, with an album set for release in September.
