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Queen of Me

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Queen of Me
Studio album by
Shania Twain
ReleasedFebruary 3, 2023 (2023-02-03)
Genre
Length36:20
LabelRepublic
Producer
Shania Twain chronology
Not Just a Girl (The Highlights)
(2022) 		Queen of Me
(2023)
Singles from Queen of Me
  1. "Waking Up Dreaming"
    Released: September 23, 2022
  2. "Giddy Up!"
    Released: January 5, 2023

Queen of Me is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Shania Twain. The album was released on February 3, 2023, by Republic Records. It is her first album since Now (2017), and is her first to not be released with her previous label of 29 years, Mercury Nashville. The album was promoted with the release of two singles and a promotional single: "Waking Up Dreaming", "Last Day of Summer", and "Giddy Up!". Commercially, the album became her third number one album in the United Kingdom, and entered the top ten in Canada, Switzerland, Australia and the United States.[2][3][4][5][6]

Background

[edit]

After releasing the compilation album Greatest Hits in 2004, Twain released the single "Shoes" for the soundtrack to the television series Desperate Housewives. Later, experiencing the breakdown of her marriage, Twain divorced her longtime husband and songwriting partner, music producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, in 2008. She remarried to Frédéric Thiébaud, the husband of her former best friend, in 2011. The same year, she released the promotional single "Today Is Your Day", which had a moderate impact on the charts.

Twain underwent vocal therapy after being diagnosed with dysphonia and Lyme disease, which caused her to nearly lose her singing voice;[7] after which she embarked on a concert tour and Las Vegas residency before releasing Now in 2017. The album reached #1 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Twain then embarked on the successful Now Tour as well as her second Las Vegas residency, Let's Go!.

Twain released a Netflix documentary, Not Just a Girl which documented her career to date as well as documenting some of the recording for her sixth studio album. Tracks previewed in the documentary include "Inhale/Exhale Air" and "Queen of Me".

Singles

[edit]

Twain released "Waking Up Dreaming", the album's lead single on September 23, 2022, following its premiere on BBC Radio 2. A music video for the song, directed by Isaac Rentz, was released on the same day.

"Last Day of Summer", co-written with Jack Savoretti was released as the album's first promotional single on October 28, 2022, along with a lyric video.

The second single, "Giddy Up!" was released on January 5, 2023.[8]

Promotion

[edit]

On October 28, 2022, she announced that she will embark on her Queen of Me Tour to promote the album, which is scheduled to begin in Spokane on April 28, 2023, and will end on November 14, in Vancouver, encompassing 76 dates.[9][10]

On December 5, 2022, Twain performed the lead single, "Waking Up Dreaming" during a medley of her hits at the 48th People's Choice Awards.[11] She later performed it on the British Television Talent Series Starstruck on April 1, 2023.[12]

Twain also promoted the album through her appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on January 5, 2023,[13] and The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Late Late Show with James Corden on February 2, 2023.[14][15]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic61/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Evening Standard[18]
Idobi RadioA[19]
Irish Examiner[20]
The Irish News8/10[21]
The Line of Best Fit6/10[22]
Pitchfork5.2/10[23]
Riff Magazine9/10[24]
The Sydney Morning Herald[25]
The Telegraph[26]

On review aggregator Metacritic, Queen of Me received a score of 61 out of 100 based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16] Imy Brighty-Potts of The Irish News wrote that "the record is a tour of all the best country sounds and tropes climbing the charts over the past few years – with Shania delivering powerful vocals despite undergoing open-throat surgery a few years ago."[21] According to Ed Power of the Irish Examiner, "the 'Shania-issance' is in full swing", describing the album as "unashamedly pop" yet "Twain’s country roots are not entirely obscured".[20] Allison Hussey of Pitchfork described the album as "a dozen tracks of optimistic affirmations and pumping electro-pop rhythms", but found the material "ill-suited to Twain's voice" and the lyrics rife with "forcibly modern idioms", concluding that Queen of Me "tries so hard to capture current trends that it already sounds behind the times".[23] Billy Dukes of Taste of Country summarized that the album "feasts on contagious hooks and repetition",[27] while Jon Freeman of Rolling Stone defined it as "an uplifting statement about being your own champion in the present".[28] Annabel Ross of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that Twain is "back to her poppy, peppy self... maintaining an upbeat vibe throughout."[25] Piper Westrom of Riff Magazine wrote, "Queen of Me is everything fans of Shania Twain could hope for. At the same time, it's a perfect introduction for anyone who's not heard her to this point. Twain is making music that is fun, and she is having fun doing it."[24]

In a more critical review of the album for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine claimed that, "There's no question that she's game -- she throws herself into the songs, not hesitating when "Pretty Liar" calls for her to curse—and her spirits are so high they nearly counter the cacophonic cheer of the production. Nevertheless, the end results feel curiously constrained, as if Twain was dancing in front of a mirror instead of underneath a mirrorball."[17]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In Canada, Queen of Me debuted at number two on the Canadian Album Chart, becoming her sixth top-ten album on the chart and seventh overall in the country.

In the United States, the album debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200, earning 38,000 equivalent album units, with 34,000 of those being album sales, becoming Twain's sixth top-ten album in the country. She joins Madonna as the only women with newly-charting Billboard 200 top 10s in the 1990s, 2000s, ’10s and ’20s (Madonna's streak also includes the ’80s).[29] The album also debuted on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart at No. 2, earning Twain her seventh top-five entry on the chart.[30]

In the United Kingdom, Queen of Me debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, becoming her third number one album in the country. Elsewhere, Queen of Me peaked within the top five in Australia and Switzerland, and charted in seven additional countries.

Track listing

[edit]
Queen of Me – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Giddy Up!"
Stewart2:42
2."Brand New"
  • Crew
  • Priddy
2:33
3."Waking Up Dreaming"
  • Twain
  • Agombar
  • Stewart
Stewart3:18
4."Best Friend"
  • Crew
  • Priddy
2:39
5."Pretty Liar"
2:39
6."Inhale/Exhale AIR"
Ralph3:18
7."Last Day of Summer"
Ralph3:10
8."Queen of Me"
  • Twain
  • Messinger
Messinger2:58
9."Got It Good"
Ralph2:53
10."Number One"
  • Twain
  • Eja Lange
  • Ralph
  • Twain
  • Ralph
3:21
11."Not Just a Girl"
  • Twain
  • Hector
  • Ralph
Ralph3:10
12."The Hardest Stone"
3:39
Total length:36:20
Queen of Me – Target, HMV, and JPC CD bonus tracks[31][32][33]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."On Three"Twain
2:39
14."Done & Dusted"TwainDave Cobb2:58
Total length:41:57
Queen of Me – Royal Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Bone Dry"
  • Twain
  • Felice
  • Baron
  • Twain
  • Felice
  • Baron
3:25
14."Wanted Man"TwainTwain2:46
15."Inhale/Exhale AIR" (featuring Breland) Ralph3:19
16."Queen of Me" (acoustic version) Ralph2:34
17."Giddy Up!" (Malibu Babie remix) 
  • Stewart
  • Malibu Babie[a]
2:44
Total length:51:16

Notes

  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer

Personnel

[edit]

Performance

  • Brian Allen – bass (14)
  • Iain Archer – guitar (6)
  • Larry Campbell – acoustic guitar (13), banjo (13), electric guitar (13), violin (13)
  • Dave Cobb – electric guitar (14), guitar (14)
  • Mark Crew – keyboards (2, 4), programming (2, 4)
  • Billy Ray Cyrus – background vocals (13)
  • Snake Davis – saxophone (1)
  • Abi Flynn – background vocals (6–8, 10, 11)
  • Wayne Hector – background vocals (11)
  • Tyler Joseph – background vocals (12)
  • Michael Logan – background vocals (8)
  • Tom Mann – guitar (4)
  • Adam Messinger – programming (5, 8), background vocals (8)
  • Steve Milbourne – guitar (13)
  • Ray Parker Jr. – background vocals (8)
  • Chris Powell – drums (14), band claps (14), shaker (14), spoons (14)
  • Leroy Powell – electric guitar (14)
  • Dan Priddy – background vocals (2, 4), guitar (4), keyboards (2, 4), programming (2, 4)
  • Mark Ralph – bass (6, 7, 10, 11), guitar (6, 7, 10, 11), keyboards (5–7, 10, 11), percussion (5–7, 10, 11), programming (5–8, 10, 11)
  • Jack Savoretti – background vocals (7)
  • Donnell Spencer Jr. – background vocals (8)
  • David Stewart – acoustic guitar (1, 3), background vocals (1, 3), bass (1, 3, 8), drum programming (1, 3), drums (1, 3), electric guitar (1, 3), keyboards (1, 3, 8), percussion (1, 3, 8), synthesizers (1, 3)
  • Johnny Thirkel – trumpet (1)
  • Darrell Thorp – drum programming (14)
  • Tom Walsh – trumpet (1)
  • Fred Washington – background vocals (8)
  • Dennis White – drum programming (6–8, 10, 11), drums (6–8, 11), percussion (6, 7, 10, 11), programming (8)
  • Tom White – trombone (1)

Production

  • David Baron – producer (13), engineer (13)
  • Milan Becker – engineer (3)
  • Bryce Bordone – mixing assistant (1)
  • Gemma Chester – engineering assistant (6, 7, 9–11)
  • Dave Cobb – producer (14)
  • Matt Colton – mastering (2, 4–14)
  • Mark Crew – producer (2, 4), engineer (2, 4)
  • Simon Felice – producer (13)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (1)
  • Josh Green – engineer (6, 7, 9–11)
  • Renee Hikari – engineer (13)
  • Jonathan Hucks – engineer (1, 3)
  • Tyler Joseph – producer (12), vocal engineering (12)
  • Paul Meany – co-producer (12)
  • Randy Merrill – mastering (1, 3)
  • Adam Messinger – producer (5, 8), vocal engineering (5, 8)
  • Sean Phelan – engineer (1, 3)
  • Dan Priddy – producer (2, 4)
  • Mark Ralph – mixing (2, 4–12), additional production (5, 12), producer (6, 7, 9–11), vocal engineering (10)
  • Olle Romo – vocal engineering programming (5, 8, 10), vocal engineering (12)
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (3, 13, 14)
  • David Stewart – producer (1, 3)
  • Darrell Thorp – engineer (14)
  • Matt Wolach – mixing assistant (13, 14)

Other personnel

  • Louie Banks – photography
  • Jerry Heiden – package design

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Queen of Me
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[34] 5
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[35] 1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[36] 19
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[37] 26
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[38] 23
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[39] 2
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[40] 53
French Albums (SNEP)[41] 96
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[42] 13
Irish Albums (OCC)[43] 15
Scottish Albums (OCC)[44] 1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[45] 77
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[46] 2
UK Albums (OCC)[47] 1
US Billboard 200[48] 10
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[49] 2

Year-end charts

[edit]
Chart (2023) Position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[50] 34
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[51] 189
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[52] 78

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Queen of Me Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Shania Twain Announces New Album and Tour in 2023". Forbes.
  3. ^ "Shania Twain Announces New Album Queen of Me and 2023 Tour". Pitchfork. 28 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk Album Releases". The Boot. May 2023.
  5. ^ "Shania Twain Adds Dates to Global 'Queen of Me Tour' as Some Venues Sell Out".
  6. ^ "Shania Twain Reveals Her New Album 'Queen of Me' is About 'Self-Empowerment'". 7 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Shania Twain Diagnosed With Dysphonia, Undergoes Therapy to Restore Her Voice". Taste of Country. 13 May 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  8. ^ "Shania Twain Gets the Dance Floor Going With New Single 'Giddy Up!'". Rolling Stone. January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  9. ^ "Grammy Award-Winning Icon Shania Twain Announces Brand New Album Queen Of Me And Massive Global Tour". Live Nation Entertainment. 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  10. ^ "Shania Twain Announces Second Leg Of 2023 Queen Of Me Global Tour Due To Overwhelming Demand". Live Nation Entertainment. 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  11. ^ Grein, Paul (December 5, 2022). "Here Are All the Performers & Presenters for the 2022 People's Choice Awards". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. ^ "Shania Twain Fans Swear She Looks "Better Than Ever" Performing Her New Song in a Mini Dress". Good Housekeeping. 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  13. ^ Sisavat, Monica (January 5, 2023). "Shania Twain Reveals How She and Harry Styles Became Friends". PopSugar. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (February 4, 2023). "Shania Twain Reveals She Wrote 'Queen of Me' Track 'Inhale/Exhale AIR' After Surviving COVID-19 Hospitalization". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  15. ^ Lombardo, Gabriella (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain Jokes About Her 'Explicit' Lyrics on 'The Late Late Show'". Wide Open Country. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Queen of Me by Shania Twain Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain - Queen of Me Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  18. ^ Smyth, David (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain – Queen of Me album review: still the one to run to for frothy hits". Evening Standard. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  19. ^ Myers, Maddi (February 2, 2023). "Album Review: Queen of me". Idobi Radio. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Power, Ed (February 3, 2023). "Album review: Queen Of Me proves Shania Twain is back in the saddle again". Irish Examiner. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Brighty-Potts, Imy (February 1, 2023). "Shania Twain and Sam Smith lead the way with the week's best albums". The Irish News. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  22. ^ Shelton, Connor. "Shania Twain offers up the audio equivalent of speed dating on Queen of Me". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  23. ^ a b Hussey, Allison (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain: Queen of Me Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  24. ^ a b "SHANIA TWAIN - Queen of me". Riff. February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Ross, Annabel (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain's comeback album proves she's still the one". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  26. ^ McCormick, Neil (3 February 2023). "Shania Twain deals in pop clichés, Robert Forster faces family tragedy – the week's best albums". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  27. ^ Dukes, Billy (February 3, 2023). "Review: Shania Twain Is the Woman You Remember Across 'Queen of Me'". Taste of Country. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  28. ^ Freeman, Jon (February 3, 2023). "Shania Twain Feels Like A New Woman On 'Queen of Me'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Morgan Wallen Rebounds for Sixth Week at No. 1 on Artist 100 Chart". Billboard. 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  30. ^ "Shania Twain Returns To Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart With 'Queen Of Me' – ET Canada". 15 February 2023. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  31. ^ "Shania Twain - Queen Of Me (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "Queen of Me (hmv Exclusive) 2 Bonus Tracks". HMV. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  33. ^ "Shania Twain - Queen Of Me (JPC Exclusive Alternate Cover, CD)". JPC. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023.
  34. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Shania Twain – Queen of Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  35. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Country Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  36. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Shania Twain – Queen of Me" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  37. ^ "Ultratop.be – Shania Twain – Queen of Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "Ultratop.be – Shania Twain – Queen of Me" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  39. ^ "Shania Twain Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  40. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Shania Twain – Queen of Me" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  41. ^ "Lescharts.com – Shania Twain – Queen of Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  42. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Shania Twain – Queen of Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  43. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  44. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  45. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Shania Twain – Queen of Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  46. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Shania Twain – Queen of Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  47. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  48. ^ "Shania Twain Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  49. ^ "Shania Twain Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  50. ^ "ARIA End of Year Albums 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  51. ^ "Older Classics Dominate 2023's Top Canadian Albums Year-End Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  52. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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