This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at App State chapter.

Shania Twain is back with a new album, a new look, and a new voice. Her fifth album, NOW, was released on September 29 and has received a ton of praise.

Listening to Shania Twain always takes me back to car rides with my little brother in the back of my mom’s green van. We would beg my mom to play her 2004 Greatest Hits album on repeat. This album was our soundtrack of the early 2000s.

We all know Shania Twain for her ‘90s and ‘00s albums and iconic songs “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!,” “You’re Still The One,” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.” Her new album introduces us to a new Shania; NOW is a powerful album that celebrates overcoming life’s struggles. Since her last album, she has undergone a major voice change, due to dysphonia, and a divorce from Mutt Lange. NOW is a display of independence and success for the country-pop star. She even wrote every song on the album herself.

Compared to her past albums, which were lighter and peppier, NOW is deeper and denser, a little quirky, and offers a diverse range of sounds and emotions.

Some key tracks on the album include; “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed,” a blissful, reggae-style song about the good times of life; “I’m Alright,” a song about keeping your head and up and moving on; and “Life’s About To Get Good,” through which she waves goodbye to her struggles and celebrates the excitement of her future.

Her new voice is definitely noticeable, but the changes are impressive and NOW wouldn’t be the remarkable album it is without her new sound.

In addition to her album, she has released music videos for “Life’s About To Get Good” and “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed.” The video for “Life’s About To Get Good” is cute, fun and uplifting. It opens with Twain relaxing in her home, where she receives an invitation for a vacation and takes it. She is met with silly bellhops that help her move on by removing her ex-husband from her pictures and even emptying her closet of her iconic outfits from her past.

Her video for “Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed” has a completely different look; the entire video takes place in a dance studio where Twain, dressed in a sultry black dress, is surrounded by dancers performing an intimate piece. The video also features Twain in a sexy, sparkly black jumpsuit. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting after I heard the song for the first time, but it definitely set apart her new look from her old look.

NOW is an unpredictable, genre-breaking album that expands Shania Twain’s sound. It is both exciting and impressive, and definitely worth a listen.

P.S. If you want to read about some fun facts about Shania, this article is a great read!

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