When Shania Twain's Personal Life Went up in Flames, She Bounced Back Stronger Than Ever
Updated April 23 2020, 4:24 p.m. ET
Taylor Swift may have had the most anticipated performance at the American Music Awards on Nov. 24, but Shania Twain proved why she’s the best-selling female country artist of all time with a medley of her greatest hits.
As she brought the house down with classics like "That Don’t Impress Me Much" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman," fans were reminded of the 54-year-old’s enduring strength and overwhelming heart, which have made her a force to be reckoned with over the last two decades — particularly in the face of a very public cheating scandal.
Shania’s personal life took a hit 11 years ago when she discovered that her husband, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, was having an affair with her best friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Thankfully, the brunette beauty has since found her happily ever after.
Is Shania Twain still married?
Unsurprisingly, the mother of one is no longer married to Mutt. But less than a year after their divorce was finalized, Shania tied the knot with businessman Frédéric Thiébaud, the ex-husband of Marie-Anne. As Rihanna would say, the jilted spouses found love in a hopeless place.
Shania with ex-husband Mutt Lange.
"It’s a passionate love on every level," the Grammy winner told The Guardian in a 2018 interview. "I used to be very monotone in my relationships."
Though Frédéric didn’t join Shania on the AMA red carpet, he cheered on his wife from the front row during her energetic performance. Before the couple’s January 2011 wedding, the singer gushed about their supportive relationship.
"[He] has been the most constant companion and support for both [my son] Eja and I. And having gone through the suffering of his family splitting apart at the same time and under the same extreme circumstances, he understands me better than anyone," Shania wrote on her website.
Shania with second husband Frédéric Thiébaud.
"We leaned on one another through the ups and downs, taking turns holding each other up," she added. "We’ve become stronger and closer through it all, as have our children, Eja and Johanna, [Fred’s daughter]."
Shania hasn’t been able to face Marie-Anne since the affair.
The Canadian admitted in her chat with The Guardian that she still feels a great deal of animosity towards her former confidant. "She’s the last person on the planet I want to run into. Ever," Shania shared.
The songwriter chose to use the betrayal she experienced to churn out her most recent album, "Now," which was released in 2017. But a few of the tunes didn’t make the final cut due to their vitriolic and profanity-laced lyrics.
"If I’m really angry, I’ll say 'f--k' a lot. And, if I’m writing, that word will be in every line," she confessed. "There was one song I wrote about my cheating friend and there was a lot of f--ks in there. I hated her, so that’s the best word to use when you hate somebody."
Shania explained that it’s hard to let go of those feelings because Marie-Anne was the person she turned to when she suspected that Mutt was being unfaithful. "I do really nasty things in my dreams to her," she revealed. "I’m always cutting her hair or shaving it off." That actually shows a surprising amount of restraint.
We’re just happy to see Shania kicking ass with a really sweet man by her side.
