Canada’s country queen sets the stage for Bluesfest’s opening night
If you blinked, you might have missed it: Ottawa Bluesfest’s opening night transported us straight into the heart of the Wild West.
Last Thursday, Ottawa Bluesfest burst into action with an explosive kick-off, featuring the sensational Canadian country sensation, Shania Twain. With an impressive turnout of around 30,000 passionate country enthusiasts, the festival grounds buzzed excitedly as attendees dusted off their beloved country boots and adorned themselves with fashionable cowboy hats. Despite the blazing heat, fans seemed to be overjoyed with the presence of the 57-year-old country mogul.
Radiant and proud, the Canadian singer graced the stage in vibrant red and white, honouring her home country.
Twain set the stage ablaze with the notes of “Waking Up Dreaming”, a captivating opener from her newest album. “Queen of Me”. Paying homage to both old and new country fans, Twain played a set of seventeen songs varying from contemporary hits to timeless classics. Crowd favourites like “Any Man of Mine” and “You’re Still The One” left the audience in a sea of emotions.
In a surprising turn of events, Twain invited fellow Canadian singer and tour opener Lindsay Ell on the spot for the tenth song. The stage came alive as the dynamic duo harmonized flawlessly on “(If You’re Not In It For Love) I’m Outta Here!” Entirely unscripted and unrehearsed, the duo unfolded naturally and evoked a captivating crowd sing-along. It was truly a magical musical moment to remember.
After 15 songs, the stage went dark, but luckily she was not finished there. She came back on stage for an encore wearing the same exact dress from her 1997 music video “Man I Feel Like a Woman”. She sang the classic “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and of course, she finished things off by singing the song many people know her by, “Man I Feel Like a Woman” and had the crowd (including me) singing their hearts out.
Overall, Twain gave Ottawa a great performance with a touching shout-out to Canadians at the end. Despite all of her hardships and years of hiatuses, Twain continues to wow her audiences by putting on amazing performances and continuously putting out new songs (although her classics from the 90s will always be the crowd’s favourites). Twain’s production does not end at the LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa. Her Queen of Me tour will continue with international performances in the upcoming months. Best of luck, Shania!
