Shania Twain was singing in seedy bars from 8 years old. This is what she thinks of that now.

The world's most successful female country singer, Shania Twain, joined the Louis Theroux for the first episode of his new podcast The Louis Theroux Podcast. In the interview, Shania opens up about her life, sharing intimate details about her rather unique childhood.

Best known for songs like 'Man! I Feel Like A Woman' and 'That Don't Impress Me Much', it's safe to say Shania has dealt with her fair share of setbacks. Most recently moving forward after a painful divorce from ex-husband and long-time music collaborator Robert ‘Mutt’ Lang, and a medical event that almost ended her career in music.

In the interview, Shania explains how she was not even ten years old before she started singing for money, explaining that she would often be made to play at bars, clubs, and aged care facilities – wherever would pay her.

"You know, I’ve been working since I was 8 years old," she tells Louis.

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“Let’s start from the beginning, even before I knew how to speak, I was singing and humming,” Shania explains.

Shania said it was clear she had a natural knack for music, something her mother also picked up on relatively early. “As soon as my mother discovered I had a talent for voice, she was putting me up on restaurant countertops and getting me to sing to the jukebox and perform for people in the diner.” 

Not long after her mother decided to take her performances to the next level. Shania says this is when the pressure took the fun out of performing for the 8-year-old. “It’s when my mother started taking my singing more seriously, she began taking me to public appearances, and I started feeling really intimidated.” This feeling was something she struggled with for many years after.

In the interview, Louis draws attention to Shania's hometown of Ontario being “not a particularly affluent area”, highlighting that the singer would often be exposed to things not often seen by a primary schooler. “Fights breaking out now and then, people are stumbling all over the place, and it was hard to keep their attention. That was intimidating for an 8-year-old.”

What was even more concerning was that Shania had to wait until the bars would close to begin performing, a time most children would be in bed sleeping. 

“I would only be allowed on stage after midnight because of the liquor law. After the last call, the bar would technically be closed, but the tables were still loaded with everyone's last drinks and people would stay until two, or three in the morning.”

Louis then asks Shania why? What reason could her mother have for taking a child out to perform at bars after midnight? Shania replied: “It’s how we put gas in the car.”

Shania’s drive, resilience and talent for music kept her on track to become one of the most successful musicians ever. She has now sold over 100 million copies of her albums and is currently on tour for her sold-out shows in America.

Image: Getty.