Shania Twain known as for the nation music enterprise to turn out to be extra inclusive throughout an look on the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday.
Whereas accepting the Equal Play Award on the ceremony in Austin, Texas, the Canadian celebrity took the chance to induce business leaders to highlight numerous and underrepresented artists.
Referring to her 1997 hit observe Man! I Really feel Like a Lady, Shania famous that she “had no concept on the time that it might turn out to be an undercurrent of a decades-long profession”.
“It is superb how only one assertion can empower so many. And Man! I Really feel Like a Lady has been adopted by an array of implausible communities all world wide and turn out to be such a real path of energy for ladies in nation music, which brings me a lot pleasure,” she stated. “Thanks to CMT for pushing the Equal Play agenda and at all times supporting me.”
Shania went on to insist that she believes there’s a future the place “all-inclusive nation music” is a actuality and promised to “champion the numerous excellent nation artists that aren’t at present performed, streamed, toured or awarded on the degree they deserve”.
“This can be a style of music with a wealthy historical past that raised and nurtured my very own songwriting and efficiency and recording profession from childhood. Presently, the business commonplace does an actual disservice to this,” the 57-year-old continued, earlier than praising the likes of Lindsay Ell and Mickey Guyton. “My hope is this chance and highlight impresses you a lot and lights up the careers of those very proficient individuals on their journey. I’ll proceed to do my finest as a trailblazer. Collectively, let’s guarantee all our fellow artists get equal play no matter gender, age or race.”
Earlier recipients of the Equal Play Award embrace Jennifer Nettles and Linda Martell.
