Perspectives on Country Music Evolution

Now I don't know if you remember that we We crossed paths in twenty eighteen when Rob Beckett and I did Robin Rush versus Country and we came to talk to you at the O two And then you invited us onto stage Um Some people that are very excited to see you were slightly less excited to see Robin myself And then I was pressured in the moment to do a rap on stage And it was humiliating me because I didn't really have the skills, do you know what I mean? Right. But so it's nice it's nice to see you again. How you been?? I'm Shana Twain and I'm going to be on the Romees showhow Shanaya, I'm going to do your introduction now If you've got issues with that, wit If you don't like it, o just be open with me. We are we love constructive feedback and actually non constructive feedback. Okay My guest today is a five time Grammy awward winner who has sold more than one hundred million records worldwide. She's the best selling female country pop artist of all time. with iconic hits that include Man, I feel like a woman, you're still the one and that don't impress me much. Over a career that spanned more than four decades, she's become one of the most enduring, beloved and influential artists in the music industry and she's not stopping there. She's back with a new album Little Miss Twain and she's taking on Weembley Stadium. Joining me today is the trarailblazing, leegendary, incredible Sight twin everybody! Yeah! N not did you That was a great intro. Yeah. Did you like it? Yeah Yeah, great. Thank you so much for coming onto the show. Thanks for having me. Everybody's very excited to have you here It's an honour. It's genuinely an honor. Thank. We've got you some gifts So I hope you like them And if you don't, it doesn't matter. but I love guest Mly we got some flowers. They're delicate R Nice and I'm a big flower person. Good. And then are they real flowers? Yes, they're real, yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. Nice. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it would have been rude to me. That was a rude question It's still beautiful is a beautiful book. But if they weren't real for us, would you be disappointed? No, that's why I'm saying I think it was rude for me to ask you. Why do you think I still love the idea that you thought of gifts. Yeah.'s very.ve I'm going to let you open these. Okay they're not I don't want to temper your expectations.'re not I don't think they're big gifts. It's just All right, don't build up money No, I don't want to Don't build it up too much. No, no, sir. I feel like It's always a mistake. I think pre apologizing was a mistake. You know, here's a little gift. Yeah, here's a little thing that. And the paper is fab. Yeah, Leopards, yeah. Yeah Oh nice. Yeah yeah these are great H I loveove it. It's good.'s good Love my love my, uh Initial socks. Leopard print socks. I think we're gonna to be in a leubberic print. Yeah, I'm gonna to be honest with you. We discovered the fame Okayhe Russ with stars on it. veryer fitting Yeah. This is this, you know you know what kind of brush this is? Well It's a practice in the mirror brrush It just looks good, You know you look in the mirror and it's like Looks good. Oh This is a big one notot financially. But it's physically big That's it. It's a cushion. I don't know why I need to explain. It's a cushion, should I? I was looking for the initials. Yeah, there's unfortunately didn't You didn't The cushion just st but non' they wouldn't do it. The kid that we got to do the socks wouldn't do that wouldn't do the cushion as well. He said it was tred. He then he got little fingers Do you like it? Apparently you always travel with a cushion and a hairbrush, Is that true? This is great Uh Yes, well Doesn't everybody? Well, maybe not everybody travels with a cushion. You know what? When I'm not Working. Yeah. I rarely brush my hair either I just I just finger star M. Thring up. Yeah But you don't would that be the sort of hairbrush you'd use in your hair? Yes. Okay, great. Great. So we did well You did well. Well on tape. Thank you. I love it the cushion, yeah. yeah. sorry that I love it. The kid got tired. Now congratulations On your seventh album, Little Miss Twain out on the twenty fourth of July Um It's your most you've described this as your most personal work, Is that right? It is my most personal work. Yeah. I'm normally writing songs as a You know It's a creative expression, fun thing to do. It's what I love to do. it's what I do. And I enjoy it. I enjoy the challenge of the craft of writing and U just music puzzles And never bored with that But sometimes I write music songs, lyrics, just u not with any intention of making it a record. So after a while I realized that I had started collecting a lot of songs that were starting to shape up team And they were, you know, most of the time if I'm not writing for a real purpose for you, for a record I will write things that are very, very personal, but they don't really belong anywhere They don't seem to really fit anywhere on an album I got to the place where I'm like, wow, there's a whole collection of songs here that now is a full album and more And that is or all songs that are a reflection of my youth My childhood, my teens, my young adult life beforefore I got signed to my major record deal So that really is the whole period up to the age of like twenty seven my late twenties. Yeah. That's a long period of time So I'm writing about my first love, I'm writing about my favorite pair of You know, teenage jeans, I'm writing about The truck I learned to drive in at ten years old, which is dirty Rsy And I'm singing about when I was still dreaming about riding horses and not yet able to afford to ride horses or Certainly not own a horse So these are all reflections of a period of life that noobody would know about Yeah, I'm Arch Manning. I'm Maddison Sinner, I'm Ev Yovich. I'm D Coria Moore. want to train like a Red Bowull athlete. Tell us your fitness goals this summer to enter the Red Bull Athlete challenge. You'll get to try each of our workouts for a chance to win an ultimate Red Bull experience. They you have what it takes So good, so good. New summer arrivals are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. Get ready to save big with up to sixty percent off brands like Rag and Bone, Levi's, Adidas, and Free People. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack kind of created your own genre in a way, Do I mean you've taken You've taken things that you're influenced by and you've taken you know a country and you've mooulded that into something you. Was that always the intention or is that something that you came to a bit later on as you carried on doing it I would say that my songwriting influences. I mean, I started writing songs at the age of ten. The artists influencing me were writers like John Denver and then you know the Beees and then there would be Stevie Wonder and then there's Dolly Parton. and there's so many genres over my likeike from Chhood all the way up, that I think I just became and I performed all of that and use all of those genres live. I was a cover singer That's how I paid my bills I was a cover singer in bars So I've sung all of those genres as they would come in and out of the bar the live bar scene And I think I just formed my style by All of those influences meldting together and whatever that would be as a song without production Right. So And I would consider that more of a folk I guess I'm more of a folk style of songwiting. Now You can treat the music any way you want. You know what The best example for me is the Dolly Parton song. I will always love you because What's really a mountain girl writing a folk song, a folk love song Dolly partard. And then Whitney Houston records it. Im pretty pretty sure it was David Foster who produced that Now it's like a whole other genre Seems home. Yeah, ye So I think any good song that is written just for the art of writing a song and not for the sake of actually making a record is It can be whatever want it to be. And by the time I was in my late twenties, I was ready to rock country, I guess. And then do you have pressure from record labels when you're starting out to like do you feel like you've got full creative control or are you Are you under pressure to go a certain way When I first got signed they I was intentionally writ, you know, writing my demo' four Nashville for Country music And so I was thinking that and I was very capable of that. I was coming from very deeply rooted country in western Childhood Rpertoire. Yeah The label was I hadn't really been in the country music li've scen for so long because The bar stopped hiring that Probably when I was about twelve. Right Okay, so I actually was out of touch of what country was When I got signs. like Yes. They're like they're like Be I've evolved so much myself. And so I was adding all of my own flavor of what what I thought country was currently at in that moment They're like, this is really not very country as some country. Now I'm thinking you know, I didn't balk too much at it because I was the new kid in town and I was I knew I had to A and Ds there in Nashville So I didn't record my first songs on the very first album, but that was the only time that that would happen and then I would be recording all my own music. And it would be country my way But then if you like If a record label is saying, this is not what not that we not what we want to hear, but we're worried about the commerciality of this music Yeah. And you're defending that position and going, look I This is what I want to put out. That's quite brave thing to do, isn't it? That that then puts you under a bit I mean that did that make you more nervous about it coming out and how it wass going to perform? I mean that to be early in your career and going, this is what I want to do It's that's that's that's not as easy as it sounds, is it When I first got to Nashville because I was already in my late twenties I was already experienced enough to know that It wasn't going to be Smart to you know Stop my feet and say. No, we're going to do it my way. you know I presented the songs I got my record deal based on the songwriting from my demos I showcased live they wanted There's a Nashville way So they're like, yeah, K, you're talented We're signing you. We like you But we want to We want to put our stamp on you. and The Nashville stamp is The songs are rated. in our little writing village. with our writers And our musicians our studios. O sound Oour look brand almost in a sense. Yeah And so I said, okay, well Let's try it your way and I will do my best And I will keep feeding you Songs. kept R And one thing led to another after that The voice was theirir key focus, I think, just tryrying to match me with the right writers they weren't my words and they weren't, you know, I can't have one without the other. I can't have my vice without My song They're They're the same And it wasn't until those were you know, backed together on a record that it really, really worked. becausecause I do believe that there are such things as Of course I believe, I mean, you know, you have Celine Dian, who's like one of the greatest voices ever. But she's not a writer. So she's a She hurts her Brilliance is interpreting Somebody else's song you know, making us all believe without question that it's Yeah. So That just isn't me, though. That's my skill Yeah. And I mean, I did learn that skill, you know, I got hackled a lot when I was a kid because know,'m I'm A child singing adult songs. you. There was this one song. I remember, take this job and shove it call take this job and shove it And I'm on the stage eight years old and you know, there's Intxicated men in the audience So got the skid off the stage. likeike what that Iachine talalking about, you know Sam it She doesn't even know anything. And I know that you know, singing songs like Divorce was a very big song at the time. Of course they didn't believe me, right It's that not loads of eight year olds get divorced. it has happened boys. I could barely spell the word. Yeah. And I had to spell it in the song. That's how I learned to spell the word divorce because you have to spell it out you know, in songs like o I know it's so true. like u countounting Counting one, two, three Why are you always testing me ual songyir. And I'm like, okay,kay I'm learning how to count. I'm learning how to write Yeah yeah. Yeah. I don't have any idea about, you know what half of these songs are about, but what I did learn was how to create thing catees stories that you have not experienced. them into a song and also how to takeake on emotions of other people's thoughtoughts and lyrics and stories and Put them back out there to the audience and make a connection, even though it's not Th aren't yourds And you know, this goes also for I start to think more about classical music and how there are no words. to You know, these symphonies, they just tellell these incredible stories and very visual and So I believed I'm thinking, yeah, okay, well even if they I don't have to have to really understand what I'm Sing if I didn't write it. Yeah. I just got to get into the musicality of it. Yeah So I learned a lot Being a childhood bar singer Spelling, counting spepelling, counting. Yeah yeah. A lot of your stuff is, you know, I think what's synonymous with your stuff and a lot of your early work is there's a humor to it and you sort of Um Some of your songs are kind of a guide to men and what women actually want In a funny way, you know, it's like there's a humor to it And that is has definitely influced that. I mean, people like Sabrina Carpenterry, people like that you can feel can you feel your influence on artists like that? I mean, they say they say that I've influenced them. I think we all need to be influenced. To some degree, we need inspiration from other artists forms of performing arts in general, period and other people's experience is like, but I do believe A adding a sense of humor even to darker subjects or more sensitive subject Subjects is a really great way of communicating what you're trying to say without So that you get the message across before the door is shut before somebody is offended. you know Yeah. putut it in the right order first. Yeah So Even on the new album Little Miss Twain, I reflected back on all of those years pre recording artist. and With a smile, even though so many of those years were really, really, really tough. I want to you just have to You know Sometimes you just have to laugh or you just have to Uh You have to stay positive and optimistic. You know, for me, the glass is half full. othertherwise, forget it. I would have so many stumbling blocks along way. I would never You know, withith the wrong attitude forget it. My life would have taken me somewhere veryy different and not. you know, certainly' likely not to success So positive attitude, a little bit of sense of humor. I love being cheeky with lyrics. I like to play with lyrics. so That means being playful sometimes. And so that's just me being cheeky and having fun and laughing. And I have a lot of laughs when I write. I laugh to myself, I laugh at myself. And then well how you And a lot of times, you know, I'm like, how can you It's just the stupidest idea, the dumbest idea. You can't put that in a song. and sometimes it makes it in the song and sometimes it doesn't. Yeah. But you have to allow yourself to be goofy and uninhabited and that I think allows a lot of that humor to come through. When you you talk about, you just mentioned about like difficulties and stumbling blocks, etcer Do you do I mean, are you able to like kind of go? Be from your beginnings and from it seems what you've done is so unlikely. the probability of you getting to where you are now from where you've been It's like winning the lottery, right? you know in terms of the chances Do you reflect on that Ev or Is that a journey that you've kind of As each thing comes by, you kind of take it in your stride or you allow yourself to go, I can't quite believe that this has happened I really cannot still believe that this has happened. It's I feel like I've lived several lifetimes in this one lifetime. Yeah There's just so many phases to my life that were intense. There was nothing. The whole journey has been very unpredictable And like just so unpredictable As unpredictable as I could ever have imagined life would be, period, never mind a career. So at every phase I'm like What's next you know, in a good way and in a bad way because I I live Ever since I was very young, I live been living with this Whoa, I wonder what's around the corner. kindind of like Um do I want to look? Yeah, you know, do I want to cover my eyes when I turn this corner Kind of feeling. But I always had a lot of In eight Courage to Uh turn the corner Sometimes I did cover my eyes, but I still turn the corner. Yeah So Just force myself. to find Solutions. There's always a way. You know, it's not. if there's a way There is a way. I really have the attitude. There is a way And I'm going to figure it out, I'm going to find it be the one that I I would even want or choose Um, but I'm going to find a way And that is a very survival thing that's does come from my childhood and keeps me going. I mean without sort of going like for like in terms of experiences, I had When I think about my childhood, there were things that kind of got turned upside down and there were times when it felt like everything was going okay and then something horrendous happened or whatever What I found that happen for me personally is it Then when things were going well I would find it very difficult to trust that And I would start thinking I would almost start getting anxious about the fact that things were going smoothly because you think I'm about do something to go wrong. Is that something that you've kind of experienced? Yes, I think you said it a lot quicker more quickly than I did in a nutshell, it is exactly that. I don't I wouldn't say go through life In fear. But I'm very realistic. I don't You know, I'm very cut and dry about Okay, let's just like put it on the table. Yeah, you know. We're going there. So I don't know what we're going to find or what the outcome is going to be, but I know we're going, you know. So I'm a forward thinker. I move forward no matter what. Yeah. I think like I said, I think it does take courage to live your life that way when you really do run into a lot of walls or fall off a lot of cliffs, stuff like that I mean, some people live more conventional lives and We all, you know We all live, we all die, you know, we all get illnesses, you know, the regular things happen to all of us. Yeah, right Uh, we win, we lose, we It's it's that is just life for everyone No matter how perfect your life is. But I would say the mine has been quite complicated and And unexpected things have happened when you start off and I life And in a culture that is so far removed. from Uh You know, like my family culture and everything that so far removed from any Soophistication. Yeah. or any uh, you know Her education E the travel access You know, if I was going to go to the city Which was? with the speed limit at the time, thirteen hour drive. Yeah. It It was a thirteen hour drive. Yeah. It wasn't an airplane a ride o. because we were never getting on an airplane. Yeah. Nobody in my family was getting on an airplane U It was just So many things were out of reach you know, Flying was out of reach, University was out of reach Simes having heat in the winter was out of reach, you know? The basics. Yeah ye. as if I'm ever going to be a star I wasn't shooting to be a star. No becausecause It feels so unlikely because it was That was just more realistic. And like I can make a living at this probably. Yeah, you don't have to be a star to make this a success, That's it. Yeah. I really thought, well, you know I can I really think that I could make a living at it and pay my own bills and feed myself and not have to rely on anybody else. I can do that because I can live very, very frugally I'm good at that. I can camp, I can do., I was self sufficient and we come from such a basic rustic round that it was very doable I thought with my voice and I could always I could always have a side job It was all possible. Yeah Being a star Yeah. you know, when they talk about things that add to your happiness, right? you know, I think when I became a comedian I don't think anything in my career that's happened since television or whatever has added to my happiness as much as being able to pay for the weekly groceries with comedy. blew my mind, right? The fact that you could pay for You're electric doing the thing that you really love doing. I don't think it gets better than that. You get all of the extra stuff. Do you know what I mean? It's like feels independence though that you're talking. Yeah. It's that independence It is the reward of pushing yourself to Do something that isn't likely going to make you rich. Yeah, right? Yeah. I mean, how many rich comedians do you know? show. How many how many rich, you know, how many rich bar singers do you know I? It's just like This is not you're not there just, you know, it's what makes you happy, I think, when you're a creative anyway, or when you're somebody who has committed themselves or is loyal to their Tent So they don't abandon their talent Um for the conventional job. Yeah. and they stick to it The reward is, yeah, if I can Pay my bills maybe afford to have a child? Yeah ye, ye yeah. And you know, one thing at a time, if I can afford those things That that is happiness. Yeah, you know, and it is sort of like it is kind of like It's like groceries is a very good one. I remember, um reallyally, even til I even after I got my recording contract, I mean I just didn't start making money right away I was still counting, you know, I was still buying the bruised apples and you know, I wasn't buying the the I was always going to the the discounts um shells and stuff like that. and being very careful So but In the end How many apples do you need to buy in the end? Well, listen, I'll take, you know An apple, a good apple a day And that's all I don't need fifty apples each Yeah Yeah. you know, So you get satisfied earlier on, I think, when you are somebody that really is just striving for that independence. Yeah. That's where the happiness is. So with that in mind and thankfully, against as you said, it's unlikely, become a mega star. that's fair to say. And now you've got songs The emblazoned in people's life experiences. There are people that, you know, there', you know, song particular songs of yours that are part of the tapestry of people's lives. When you come to perform live Do you always approach performing those? Be I always wonder about musicians who've had to perform You know, certain songs over and over again Are you able to go to it like you're playing it for the first time? orr do you think, well, I better give them this one? I first thought you were going to say you know do you ever think there would be songs there would be tattoos of your song? Yeah, I've seen tattoos of my songs on people I I never get bored of the music I never listened to my own music at home as a I wouldn't go so far as saying oh yeah, I just can' wait toone to listen to my record.. I don't need to do that. And I'm not touring all the time. So it's almost like every time I'm doing tour or show I'm revisiting the music. R. and Got enough songs. that I can, you know, this is kind of the luxury too. Yeah. I can I can switch them out That's how I feel about it. And I do variations of things. Sometimes I'll do things more acoustically And that changes it up musically for me. And there's always someone that's got a great story about one of my songs that makes me think of that song differently. Right. From then on as well. Yeah. Like there's one lady she said to me When I was giving birth, I put I had from this moment on, playing on repeat. And o, I never thought of it that way, but you know this are like Wow. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. that's incredible. Right? Beuse she's thinking when the When the baby is born, when this baby comes out From this moment on, life has begun. Yeah. I'm thinking well, wow, you're the brilliant one, not me I certainly didn't think of it with that much depth and And so now I just The song is more powerful than it ever was when I wrote it. T email meetings. Yeah ye. This episode is brought to you by American Express. 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Set in nineteen ninety five, this Gemini vegetarian knows exactly who she is until her family moves from Bel Air to Seattle. packed with iconic fashion, nineties nostalgia, and a throwback soundtrack, Elle proves one thing Law school was hard. High school was harder. From the world of legally blonde, watch Al, a new original series only on Prime videoide. Watch now. N Sana, we've got a question from my mum. She's sent it as a voice note I always have to say this, I don't know what this question is, okay? Okay. She's a lore unto herself. Sos see let's see what she said It want tona know what mom said Hi Shinaya, this is Romaz from Shanti always look incredible, have such an icon it Sense of style Love the Lapel print. hope my son has made an effort with his featured it. Okay Is there any item of clothing or accessory you put on? instantly makes you feel great I still listen to the song Endless love with Lina Richie. so beautiful. Enjoy staying in the UK. Have a wonderful time And I'd love to see you You take care Bye bye Look at this. Ma. a very matter of fact home to that She wanted she was hitting her vos, man. She's like, I want to make sure I No, I know, that felt like a bullet pointed voice note. The leeopard print. She was hitting, Oh, that's adorable. Is there something that I put on that instantly makes me feel great I would say Really Um Were you not expecting? No. you know what I was trying to If it's leopard print silk. Can I tell you what? normally like if you're interviewing someone I think, I want to relate to your answer. So then said then you said silk and I thought, have I ever then I start to, have I ever worn silk? I don't think I have. I've never allowed silk into my life. Okay, well need That's going to be a good thing. So Silk? Yeah. You could have like a silk blend t shirt. Okay You know what I'm saying It doesn't have to be any extravificant. You don't have toaringerie or anything. No, no. I would. Oh to be clear. Well, you could wear silk boxers. Yeah, there you go. Nobody would even know it. No. But you'd know it from the way know. I think you'd know. It would make you feel great. Yeah ye, yeah. Everyone would be going, wow I think you look like you feel great today. you be veryaring this. I'm just got a different energy about. Have you guys on have you all onceced it? I've never w anything in my life. Yeah You bought sit boxes Why are you ashamed of it like you're admitting something? I don' know Yeah you know I would say Some people think they're wearing silk when they're really wearing satin Right. Yeah. But is a luxury fabric You know, it's not It's fine and it's Um is a spider that makes silk. This spiders. This is a spider, I think Okay. a wormm. Silkwm. Yeah. Oh, spiders and snakes. whatever. Yeah, yeah. It's some one of those horrible creatures. You know makes silk. Yeahah. Yeah, you don't yeah. Listen to me acting like I know everything about silk. No. And then I think it comes from a spider. Yeah. I was thinking, you, silky web No,'re right silk worms. Yeah Be silk is it does make you feel great. it's light and it's so many patterns and colors and Um, veryery worth wearing Okay, I'm gonna consider bring silk into my life. I think we all should. Now congratulations are in order twwelve dates at Wemby Stadium Alongside Harry Styles, How excited are you I'm really excited. I'm mostly flattered because it was a, you know, personal invitation to be Harry's guest and that is very special. Yeah. He you know, he and I we met backstage small little venue and we exchanged numbers. We hit it off. He was just very cool and easy And then he text me a little while later. and said it's my mother's birthday coming up. and she's the reason why I know your music and love it so much. Love you. So u would you reach out to her on our birthday, which her happppy birthday. So he gives me her number, I call her up I sing her happappy birthday. He calleds her. Yeah. Okay, wow. B. It meant registered with me that he would You know, because I don't think celebrities, you know, they don't really ask each other favors very often. It's not like you say, you know, heybody, we met once, but because we're both stars, could you you know, come to my kid's birthday or whatever. go to my you know He did that because it really he knew that that would mean a lot to his mom and that it meant a lot to him. And I did not have my mother through my success at all because my mother was gone long before I made it. She's been gone since I was twenty two. so she never saw any of my success. what I would have given for her to have Uh being there for me to give back to her. I mean, we really struggled a lot when I was a kid and took, you know the sacrifices were great. So to have been able to buy a new vehicle or A new dress U anythingything um and just for her to be there and for me to have that relationship into my going into my life. So Harry's had her all this time And she's been able to experience the success with him and to be there and be a grounding factor So it was really I was happy to do it in more ways than one And we just stay connected and so I think you just felt My mum and I. Yeah. W you to come and and do Wmblely with us. Yeah Amazing to be doing it at Harry Styles. Yeah. and also in an organic way. This is not like, you know, you're not telling the story of like some record label thought would be a good idea to p this is like a real it's a real thing. It's a real thing. it's As far as I know, no, I'm sure it is. I know it. And you know, our exchanges were so we were both very excited about you. But also Weembleay sort of iconics be doing Weemble and then' to beating twelve nights, does how much have you engaged with that? It's going to be massive, right It'll be massive. Um, I imagine that a lot of I mean, that's a lot of people. so I would imagine several people are going to more than one Night Yeah even, right which is really great because I think as you go, and You I this my my what I'm imagining People would be building up each night the vibe. Um, and I think getting more and more into it as the dates go on. Yeah So that's exciting. I will change it up every night I really say it won't be the same show every night then It won't be in every way. Yeah. So that I think is important. because I was thinking, you know, there are going to be people that go, maybe they'll go to show one or maybe show . show show. A and then maybe show tenen, you know So I was keeping that in mind. So I think the excitement will build as we go as well. I mean, for herir, I think it's just gonna to be crazy right off the bat because, you know, he's on top of the world and he's it's such a frenzy and he's U He's just hairy, isn't he? And this is his home. and that's another compliment because I'm invited to his home country and I'm the guest It's difficult Ive because stand upp comedy makes it very, very difficult. like, you know, sometimes if you're doing a matinee. People don't realize that you're doing the same material again. somebody will say You'll meet someone outside the matatter name and they'll go, I'm staying for the second show to see what you do there. Right. Well that be you're going be incredible due to the point And you you've actually performed on stage with Harry Coachella, is that right? Yeah, he invited me to Coachella It was more of a it was a very casual thing Hey, I'm going be in erforming in L.A. I don't even think he say Coachell. I think he ssays I'm doing a show in L.A. and you know, do you want to come up and sing a couple songs with me? Are you anywhere around on the state And he said, Well, I'm actually not anywhere near there on that date. you know, but let's try again another time And then and then he was so polite he didn't put me on this body, just let it go for a bit And then he jacks it again and said, I really I, you know, something in the fact of I really think this would be great if you could make it It would mean a lot And And I'm like, okay, well, you know, let me let me really like think about how. Okay, Harry, I said I wasn't close. No leave it. It wasn't, but It was not till quite close that I'm thinking oh It's Coachella on top of it And Let's say we can make this work. but I still, I didn't know. I said, listen, okay, well, you know What do you what do I wear What is this vibe going be. And he said, well, just be you just come and be yourself, whatever. You didn't tell me what he was wearing And when I got on stage, we were practically matching It was weird. Yeah. It was kind of weird, but everybody did think it was very planned Oh yeah, I bet it wasn't. It was planned, but I mean casually planned But like doing Coachelle with Harry Styles twelve nights at Wembley Like you've done so much, do you Do you still have things on like a bucket list or aspirations you still want to achieve or do you feel like I'm just doing whatever happens now? You know what's your kind of attitude towards all of that Mm. I want to write songs that I produce for artists voices that I Love. Yeah. That's my dream That's my dream gig because I am only one voice. And I hear my song so many different ways And I can never accomplish the directive that I Like I have a directive of how I want it sung But I'm not, but I'm not that voice. Yeah. Like I wrote I wrote from this moment on What's Len Dawn in mind I wanted her voice to sing that song Not mine. Yeah. And so I wrote it melodically and everything like it could be for Celine Don But my then husband, who was my producer, said, no, no, no, that's a song we have to keep for your record And I just thought, h, like really I I can always write more songs, but If Celine Don sang this song, that would be the real dream for me as the writer. Yeah. And I don't I just don't have the need to always be the one in the spotlight I love to be creative and to be not in the spotlight, you know, to be In fact, it wass my mother that forced me up on the stage in the first place and I'm glad she did, but wh wasn't easy. I had to really that was part of the difficulty of my childhood getting up on stage as a kid to you know, saying to drunks and Okay, so that dream didn't come true But Id love that to happen. I want to find voices that I'm writing the songs for it. Right and then see them come to life in a different way Especially when I lost my voice, because I lost my voice to Limme's disease And that was that lasted quite a while. I mean that must been it must have been like terrifying It was terrible. I I lost her projection. And I won't go into the science of it, but ye it was You know, something that would not ever repair because it was nerve damage. So Not the vocal cords, but the nerves, the neurology. They're what there's a treatment where they where they did Open my neck Yes p your neck from the front. it's open throat surgery. pull your larynx to the side and they insert Little crutches Little Gortex crutches. Right. and they will be there in ten thousand years from now you know, Yeah. they will be there forever there permanence But's Yeah they're g t. G Ts is like, isn't that what they weatherproof timimberlands with? That's right. Yeah. Yeah, all kinds of outwar Yeah. They've never had Gor taxsicks when I was a kid. That's why I got so much frostbite Oh, I wish they had Gorex. Anyway, now I got Gortex al right. I got it in my throat. so Little crutches. and they stabilize where the nerve atrophy is make to compensate for the nerve atrophy Okay, so now I'm able to sing Live again. Yeah and sustain notes and be loud if I want. My voice is different. You can tell it's kind of like gravelly. I've got a little Um Try. Yeah in there And do you enjoy that now? I mean, it's nice,?'ve got a different voice ye Yeah. Yeah, it's added to the character of my singing. Yeah ye. listen, I love my new voice.. I'm like, what else am It what am I to do hate my new voice? It's like, no. I can sing again. I love my new voice, you know? I'm even saying you know U Lucky me because the Lyme's disease could have attacked my heart, my brain My kidneys. Iironically, it attacked my laryngel area. So yeah, you could look at that in any way you want. But it wasn't life threatening. I mean, that's a blessing. Yeah ye It was more of a bless than. your glasses. This your glasses are full. How else can I look at that? Yeah So Okay, so now I'm able to sing again. So then I get off track Definitely, I'm now writing for my own recordings, right for quite a while. I'm like, oh yeah You know, as long as these cortex crutches don't move. Yeah, you got ten thousand years of stuff in. That's it. Yeah As long as they don't move or end up in my stomach or something I will. Sing. Yeah I feel like I've really fulfilled a lot of that reappreciation or new appreciation for my voice and I'm very happy to be singing my own songs, by in the future And it's a dream for me to hear my songs My melodies and my words, My voices that I am not Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so but that's something you could still do you could go on to do that. Exactly exactly. but, you know, it's where it's really hard though when you're the artist as well And you're doing your own artist thing and then you're producing somebody else. I'd really like to make that focus for a bit. Yeah. like a project. Yeah Now, we've seen in recent years that country is I mean, obviously, Rob Beckett and I thank you were one of our guides through our kind of introduction to country and kind of we went to Nashville We wrote a terrible song. We performed that song in a bar in Nashville. It's one of the most anxiety inducing things I've ever done But one of the things that we learn is that country has got You know, like all genres of music, it's got tropes and people that love it are protective of it What we've seen in the last few years is People from outside of the genre come in and make and make country albums, right Obviously Beyonce is a famous example. Postm Malone did a whole country album, which was great. What's your kind of What's your kind of take on all of that? I mean, because one of the things happens in the UK because is that you will it still happens now. We will suddenly hear about a country ar us who is absolutely massive But we don't know about them because country is country is popular with country fans, right? The crossover is relatively rare, right? So so what's your have you have you felt kind of watching all that transpire So the country music that I grew up with Primarily the earliest earliest country was my grandparents' country, which was called country and Western. Right So the country was farmer Um, you know, rooll up the sleeves, uh, manual hardwking peopleople The Western was the more You know, Texas Uh south border towns to Mexico music, Tax Mexican sort of style music. that added minors minor chords to the music. It added different time signatures Different instrumentation, different different vocal blend chords and They were gun slingers Right So this is where the Western comes. Yeah. Now you've got country and Western. Yeah So there's no difference from that because that was a that was an actual genenre name change. Yeah. Right, right, right, okay. Like it was officially only country. Yeah. Then it was country and Western. Right And then you've got periods where it's, you know, and you know, the big bro country period and where you've had, you know, country rock. I mean, if you look at a good example manyany people have crossed over, but even Alvis Presley Okay, he's a king of rock ' and roll, but You know, he's also a, uh, u he did country songs. so did Look at John Denver, John Denver is a folk artist, pure folk artist, but he made country records There's a lot of rock art. there's a guy named Conway Twey, you guys probably haven't heard this guy. mayaybe I don't know, but hes that would be more my grandparents country music. But he was in a rock band before that with Kenny Rogers. He was he was a rock Yeah he did country. The BGes made some country songs. Yeah h I live in John She was a pure pop artist. Yeah yeah. She made a whole country album. Yeah Linda Ronstad was the autorium backup singer for U The Eagles. Right. She made a country record. Yeah. So this isn't a new thing then people. Yeah. It's not a new thing. The genre has gotten very protective, maybe or pureist in a certain way, not the fans but maybe the industry because They just don't want to make room maybe for other talent that that brings so much to the genre Where would country music be without the influence of bluegrass? And where would it be without the, you know, the influence of rock and rockabilly and soul R and B Yeah Ray, Charles I never heard anybody saying country better than Ray Garalds. Yeah But then do you think it's a thing of like Um peopleeople who be making You're making country for country fans. And then somebody comes in And there's I don't know, is there an argument of like being a culture vultal taking what you want and then you know, taking country and doing what you want with it? You know, is that do you think that's part of the problem All right, so Sanayah. says Now we know. Yeah ye. aboutb where my glass, where the level of water is in my glass. Yeah U Better compliment. Could anyone give any culture to want to borrow a little bit of it. Yeah. you know, or dabble in it because it's something that they even if it's just out of curiosity I'd be like, yeah, You know, cultural exchange days at school, that was so fun. This was like, o, let me try, you know s the way you guys make cookies, you know there's nothing it's like Great, you know, I'm try that at home. Yeah. Like whoever said, would, no, you can't try this at home. Yeah it cookies, you know These are our people's cookies. Don't try our recipe. It's not it just can't that's not the way that's not the way art works. That's not the way music works, right? Is music we're talking about here. Yeah, Right? It's not it's not our people Yeah No, I it's music now. Yeah. I mean, it's just been it's been I totally get I agree with you. I agree with you, but it's just been interesting As somebody outside of country to see what the my perception of what the response has been to people coming and doing it. You know so you're saying right. So the culture culture element is love them and leave them sort of thing or what what's the it's just that I guess like, you know, there there was all that My impression was that people going these people are coming in and you know the other artists are coming in Having a go at our music and then going of some like while stealing our thunder, maybe, like that sort of thing. Well I mean You know, it's not Thivable ad. I think so. I think you can be if you say. Yeah. Yeah. You can make a thing. I think it'd be a good song title ieable I mean, how can how can Oh boy. I'm going to start rhyming. You better stop me right now So, okay, I mean, how can such a thing be feivable? Yeah, You know, how can Um There's no such thing as that. I We all influence each other. Yeah So and when someone is like if somebody does something very Shanah esque I'm like, that's greatest compliment ever. Yeah yeah I'm not worried about it ' I'm like, You know what you You know, man I feel like a woman can only be written once Yeah, yeah ye. Like so don't, I'm not worried about it. G go ahead and Shana ask all you want. It's not gonna It's not gonna It's not gonna to steal my thunder. No. Like it's all good. Yeah. And So it's and I think, you know, we're meant to inspire each other. I would see it as an inspiration. that obviously Whever is dipping into a genre is influenced by that genre and inspired by it. Yeah wantant to do that, I think and So I just don't see it. The same way, I suppose, that's my Chenya way of looking at it. No, I love we love the Chenay wayay of looking at it. I totally agree with you.. Okay, we're gonna play a little game now. Oh. It's misquoted. I'm not. This is called misquoted. So I've got five quotes that you may or may not have said. Some of them you said, some of them you didn't All I want you to do is tell me if you said them. And that leads to a little bit of light chat and idedeally, an Instagram clip. And you know what? I completely Yeah. misunderstood when you said misquoted. Yeah because I was I thought you were calling me misquoted. I was say. Now miss This is a game for you, little misquoted. It's did you or did you not say this? U there's no jeopardy Just u o Yeahah So here's the first one, Did you shine I twain say this or not. The first thing people say is, Do you own Wellies? Did you or did you not say that guess I did When I went to Glassenbury, people were saying You may need to bring your wellies. That's absolutely correct. Well done. You did say and you were talking about Glastonbury. The times in twenty twenty four, you're talking about Glastonbury and that's why people ask you. Well done. You Of course I have wellies. I've got all kinds of wellies. I have horses, so. Yeah. Okay, here's your next one. Yeah. I'd love to get everywhere by segue No, I did not say that. sureure to get everywhere by segue. D dis sober. No, you didn't tell that. You're absolutely right. Do you know what you You did say you'd love to get everywhere buy something Do you know what it might have been? I'd love to get everywhere Maybe they misunderstood I was saying No, we changed the last word Yeah You actually said, I'd love to get everywhere by horse Horse. Of course by horse. Yeah, absolutely. I mean you've ridden horses in shows, haven't you? I have. I don't know why I didn't think of that because Yes, in a dream world. We would all go everywhere by horse. Yeah. Like what are we doing? Yeah You know, now you can't even ride your horse on the street in case it poops. It's like, of course horses poop. Wh cares? The birds are coming gonna to come and eat it and You know, if you're in the city, the rats will come by and you know, cars will run over the sun will drive up whatever. It's organic. Oh my God, what a paradise. We're riding horses, rats are eating all the horse poo. Beautiful. Right back Well listen instead ye. I'd rather the rats clean up the horse poo than and get into our gage but. no, it's true. My horse. dream dream life. O. So you're two for two, whoo's your next one. Did you or did you not say this? Stage fright is a very scarring experience, a terrible, panicky feeling. Yes, absolutely. You did say that. W would have said said that, Yes. Yeah. you said that to the Guardian in twenty three, he said, But now going from I may never sing again to being where I am, I'm like, in this moment, if I hit a bad note, I'm gonna to wear that scar as a survival flag. Exactly It's like a lion that can roar again is what you said. So that's It Lovely. It's very true Like so what if I had a bad note? Yeah It's my free pass Okay, here's your next one. In Switzerland I'm always bang on time or did not say? I did not say that because I don't think I would say Bang on You're absolutely correct. You didn't say that The actual quote is in Switzerland you feel you're more connected to the food you're eating Well, that is true because u yeah Just because it's less prility. Yeah. Food is more regulated. Closer to the original ingredient Yes. Yeah. Okay. You're four for four. So you got one left. Did you in this game? You really good. Really good. This is for full house now It' exciting time. This is exciting time. What do I win? I you get to keep that. So that was that was a lan up to this point. Okay, so here's your last one I'm getting less and less inhibited as I age. I like to do goofy things Did or did you not say? I would say that. did say that Outside of experimenting with hair colour, I would say that I enjoy being fearless. Nothing really scares me. You just got to have fun and being playful makes me feel more youthful U that was to hot hot, hot living Talking about pink hair So there. Sinai's five for five. Congratulations.. Chinai we're almost done. This is you've been I know, I know. I know. it's been horrendous But what we'd like to do is end the podcast on a big moment. and what I'd love to ask you is would you be able to share the best piece of advice you've ever received? Have you ever received a great piece of advice that you could share with us Boy, I sure have. H It which one do I want to share with you? No, I get it I know I'm saying? No, I understand, I understand. We've've We've gone on a journey, but how what are you willing to share? I get that, I get that I don' understand if you have reservations No, I don't. I think Like not that I think you could use advice because I'm sure No, I could, believe me. The best advice I could give anyone, I think is You just have to be honest. You see how honesty is everything Honest, honest with yourself, honest with everybody else U and And that's it. basic and boring as advice, but honesty. is the only that's it The truth is Really does suck sometimes, but best to be honest, especially for a creative person because oh, brother, like you need to know the truth. Yeah. you know, arere you good? Are you bad? or you Yeah. But that's difficult. Honesty, that sounds simple, but that's quite difficult to follow as a rule. Yep, That song was well written by Billy Joel. honesty. Okay. H' hardly ever heard? Yes, certainly not in my house. Please, can you give it up for our fantastic Sanite Thank you so much for watching and listening to this episode beforefore you go. If you've enjoyed this episode and you've not subscribed's O decision. crazy behaviour. Follow and subscribe to the Rombish Wang and Nathan Show wherever you listen. It helps me, really like really helps me. It helps the team and it costs you absolutely nothing. We drop episodes every Monday and Thursday. Mondays I'm joined by great guests. Thursdays my Mum Shardy joins me to answer your questions and family dilemmas. I'll see you Thursday with Mum who, let's face it This who you're actually here for. Well If you've got a problem you want to solve or a story you want to share, send it to podcast at hangaby. com. Voice not or text us on zero seven seven three one six two three three five five. We can't promise good advice But you might end up on the show See you soon Your package says deliver. but delivered where exactly The hallway, the lobby, your neighbor's apartment? Inead of playing detective with your deliveries, get a mailbox at the UPS store. We'll sign for your packages. Text you when they arrive. And keep your deliveries low key. Under locking key, get three months free mailbox services with a new annual agreement at the UPS store for full details and to get your coupons Visit the UPSore d. com slash offer. 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