Shania Twain Opens Up About Lyme Disease Diagnosis (original) (raw)

Shania Twain Was 'Shattered' by Divorce as She Battled Lyme Disease: 'I Never Thought I Would Sing Again'

Shania Twain says she never thought she'd sing again due to the illness

Published on September 22, 2017 09:25AM EDT

Shania Twain feared she would never sing again after a battle with Lyme disease affected her vocal cords and caused her to withdraw from the spotlight for over a decade.

The “That Don’t Impress Me Much” singer is opening up to 60 Minutes Australia about the toll the illness took on her, both physically and emotionally.

“I never thought I would sing again,” she said.

The 52-year-old singer had to fight to regain her voice from the damaging effects of dysphonia, the result of Lyme disease.

She also said that her divorce from Robert “Mutt” Lange after reports of infidelity left her “broken” as she fought for her health.

“I was shattered,” she said. “How many more traumatic moments can I take?’ she said. “I wasn’t just broken, I was shattered.”

In July, Twain also opened up to PEOPLE about her battle with Lyme: “I was very scared for a little while that I wouldn’t sing again, ever. I went through that moment, but I found a way. I found a way to do it.”

Shania Twain Twitter

Now, using her voice requires lengthy warmups and physical therapy that Twain described as “very, very difficult.”

Twain was away from the music scene for 15 years, as she worked to recover from the disease

Twain’s 2015 attempt at a final tour was plagued by health issues, as she was forced to cancel several dates due to a “respiratory infection.”

Firsts and Faves with Shania Twain

Now, the singer is making another comeback. Twain recently announced the release of her latest album Now — her first in 15 years. She previously told PEOPLE that the self-penned project isn’t a comeback, it’s “a continuation. This is an evolution,” she said.
“It’s all about reflecting on what I’ve been through, owning what I’ve been through, not ignoring it and saying ‘forget about it, move on,’ ” she told PEOPLE. “I don’t want to forget about it. It’s made me who I am.”The full interview will air on 60 Minutes Australia on Sunday.