Thanks to Korenchkin from Shania Forums for the translation!
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Shania Twain
UP!

The Shania Twain story proceeds to a new, exciting chapter. And it is continuingly going upwards! Because "UP!" is the title of the looked-for follow-up of "Come On Over", which is the most successful solo-album of a woman ever, with sensational 34 million copies sold worldwide.

Will the new album be able to go the same way? You betcha! Because the great news for all the Shania-fans all over the world are, that she created one of the most stirring and ambitious projects of the new millennium. Full of energy and carried by a feeling of fresh creativity a spectacular new work was born - co-written by her husband and producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange.

Relaxed, cool and "ready to rock" - after a break in her Swiss residence, where they both became parents for the first time - comes an energy push from Shania, which has more of the intensity of a mighty electric shock in her case. "We wanted to create something that's better and bigger", she emphasizes full of passion, "and the whole concern IS so much better and bigger than anything else I did before."
"The complete album had an different process of development. We traveled much more and let enter musical elements and inspiration from all parts of the world. There are Indian musicians included as we recorded directly in Mumbai, India; some records from American musicians took place in the Caribbean; together with a 40-head orchestra in Ireland; with another musicians in Italy; and while writing the songs we jumped from city to city - Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Roma, in the Province and at the Grenadine of Iceland. This time the music was formed in smaller parts, but during a longer period of time."

This awesome, new project is leaded on by the first single, the irresistible "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" "It was right from the beginning the first single", says Shania. "There is that typical Shania-attitude in the lyrics, a special female self-confidence. It's just about a young woman who knows what she wants; not only she knows how she gets it, but - and that's what it's about - 'to get it good'... too." "In my experience it's rather typical that women run into men who have that self-confidence. But I just wanted to write about this self-confidence from the female point of view in a funny way. I wanted that the first single got that playful moment again, because people should recognize the 'old' Shania, but at the same time hear the new, fresh sound.

Shania herself is amazed how much her singing qualities developed in the new album, an advance supported and encouraged by her husband Mutt too. "Mutt managed to release a special pitch of my voice which I usually only have when I write songs with my acoustic guitar. I didn't notice that I sing a bit different when a microphone stands ahead. It's similar to standing in front of a camera - as long as you don't know that pictures are taken of you, you simply act something different. But Mutt didn't gave up until he had that natural, more intimately pitch, which he especially likes, on tape."

Further highlights of the album? Shania could mention as many as there are tracks - but following you'll find only some very special ones. " 'Ka-Ching' is a track of my personal top 5, maybe even top 3, because it has that typical-cool Shania-character, but actually is it a quite objective judgment of the current situation from us humans, how commercial our world got to be."
"I also like the tune 'In My Car (I'll Be The Driver)'. 'Don't care if you sleep with your socks on, you can hurt my head with your favorite rock song'. With other words: You probably can control all things in our life, but in my car I'll be the driver... 'UP', the title-track is a funny song with lines like 'Even my skin is acting weird, wish that I could grow a beard'. One of my other favorite songs is 'I'm Jealous'. It's a song with a very figurative speaking; you can really feel what's up, what's going on. 'Juanita' is a song where I go textual a bit deeper than usual, diving more into the subject. During times where we're especially vulnerable, doesn't matter if we're searching strength, bravery or liberty - it's our female power (our Juanita) what we need then."
The lyrics keep very real, that's just my style. Very narrative, dialog-orientated - in the way I wrote the last two albums too. Because people always liked the songs best where I expressed the concerns as I would talk directly to them."

At the moment Shania is planning the arrangements for a tour in the beginning of 2003, full of anticipation to have again that very personal contact to her fans, what made the "Come On Over" world tour so unbelievable successful. "I greatly enjoy touring, in a way live-shows are the greatest award", she says. "I can see in their faces what the songs mean to the fans. I'm by myself exalted by music, it touches me when I'm sitting anywhere and listening to it. Music makes me high. Then when I see in the faces of the listeners that they are touched in a similar way, and then I know that I do exactly that why I came.

How do you feel as one of the best-selling acts before the release of a new album? Is there much pressure after a 34 million album? Shortly said: No! "I'm not at all anxious or doubtful concerning the success of the new album. I don't convulsively try to sell more as 'Come On Over'. I wish that the fans like my music; I want to know what people think about the new work. I'm looking forward to hear the feedback."

Exactly for this reason the only direction where Shania Twain will go - even if she's already part of the music-world's elite - is upwards, "UP!” Because she almost totally achieved the creative goals before the long player is sold at all. "Mutt and I worked as a Team and so we were able to put so much more in this album as I ever done before to one", Shania explains. "We did all possible, invested all, effort and dedication, and I'm really amazed by the result."

"I'm listening to the music by myself and I'm overwhelmed by all of the emotions. We put so much love in this album and when I listen to it now then I sometimes don't know whether to laugh or to cry, so much it touches me."

Shania Twain
Album: UP!
Release date: 2002-11-18

 

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