Introduction
The Healing Power of Horses
Shania expresses her deep affection for horses, describing them as “beautiful and powerful and kind and generous.” She highlights the therapeutic aspect of being around them, sharing a personal ritual of going to the stalls in the middle of the night to “just hug a horse,” finding solace and a meditative state. She even offers to share “elements of atmosphere” for Drew Barrymore to experience this connection during their visit.
Embracing Multifaceted Creativity
Drew Barrymore praises Shania for being “genre-less” and crossing over from country to rock and pop. Shania explains that her multifaceted nature is genuine, and while she focuses on one thing at a time to achieve her best, she is inherently “restless” and likes to “shake myself sometimes.” She equates activities like skydiving to needing a jolt to “wake up.”
Overcoming Anger and Living with Dreams
When asked how she overcomes anger, Shania reveals that dreaming is her “biggest meditation.” She allows herself to mentally “go places that I can’t change but that I still love to live in,” even if those dreams are unrealistic or involve things she can’t have, like having more children. This practice helps her to release and find peace.
The Liberation of a Hiatus
Shania reflects on her 15-year break from music due to health issues, particularly her voice problems. She admits that once medical professionals couldn’t diagnose or fix her voice, she relaxed into the situation. Rather than being complacent, she saw it as a “real liberation” and an opportunity to “start over with new possibilities.” This allowed her to appreciate songwriting even more, free from the pressure of being a singer in the spotlight. She emphasizes the importance of accepting when one door closes, as it can lead to exciting new possibilities, a reality she embraced even when uncertain if her voice would ever return. She was ready for what was next, only for science to later reveal that the door wasn’t closed after all.