When it comes to professional admiration, Shania Twain is still the one for Jon Bon Jovi.
The Bon Jovi lead singer called Twain his “spirit sister” in an interview with People last month, referring to the country superstar’s support during his experience undergoing vocal cord surgery a couple of years ago.
Twain, who underwent the same procedure in 2018, told People in a separate interview published Monday that Bon Jovi’s praise “just warms my heart.”
“It is a very special bond because there are very few singers that have ever had this nerve damage,” she said. “It’s not a typical singer’s issue.”
The five-time Grammy winner also shared that she didn’t ask Bon Jovi how he’d come to experience vocal cord damage.
“I shared my experience with him, and before he took the plunge, I just shared the best I could without influencing him in any way,” she said. “I didn’t get deep like that. We got personal about it, but I didn’t ask for the real details.”
In February, Bon Jovi acknowledged he was still “in the process of healing” from vocal cord surgery, as he was gearing up for the release of his Hulu docuseries “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.” He first experienced issues with his voice in 2015, but he didn’t have the procedure until 2022.
“I’ve sung with Pavarotti. I know how to sing. I’ve studied the craft for 40 years,” the musician said during a Television Critics Association panel in Los Angeles. “So when God was taking away my ability, and I couldn’t understand why, I jokingly have said the only thing that’s ever been up my nose is my finger — you know, so there’s no reason for any of this.”
As for Twain, her music career is once again in high gear. Last week, she kicked off her third Las Vegas residency, “Come on Over,” at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Next month, she’ll unveil “Honey, I’m Home,” a new vinyl compilation of her greatest hits.
While Twain feared losing her voice entirely before undergoing vocal cord surgery, she decided to come up with a backup plan.
“What I did was I said, ‘OK, if I’m never able to sing again, if I never find a solution. I will write for other singers who can sing,’” she told People. “And I was actually very excited about that.”
She went on to note: “I would spend more time writing and I would continue to be able to hear my songs recorded, and that didn’t make me sad. It made me very happy. So I say, look on the bright side and follow that. Just keep following the light. Don’t go anywhere dark. It’s not worth it.”
