Shania Twain – Up!

When thinking of country music icons, Shania Twain easily comes to mind. She broke barriers by being one of the only country singers to be Canadian and has released numerous chart-topping hits. I grew up listening to her and have many memories of dancing around the house with my mom while her music played in the background. Twain’s one song, Up!, has a significant meaning to me. The first lines of the chorus sings ‘Up, up, up. Can only go up from here.’ This chorus is an uplifting reminder to remain optimistic because pain and hardships are temporary.

This song relates to country music’s history because the sound can be considered as the modernization of country music. During the 1990s, country music began to have a more upbeat sound. In the article, ‘Hillbilly Records, Hillbilly Radio’, it’s shared that country music is considered ‘hybridization of rural and urban by musicians ‘skillfully blending traditional tunes and styles with modern music.’ Shania Twain’s song fits this description perfectly. She has traditional country instruments in the song but sings in a modern, pop-like style.

Hi everyone! My name is Amanda and I’m a senior at Rutgers University. This blog is meant for my discussion posts and thoughts regarding my class, Country Music Online. During the course of the semester, I will be posting discussion regarding class lessons and also posting my thoughts on new music releases and country classics.