Long before Shania Twain took the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, anticipation was evident among the festival-goers, many donning double denim and cowboy hats. Rumors circulated that Twain would make her entrance on horseback, but this proved to be only partly true. Instead, her arrival was marked by a whimsical procession of hobby horses, dancers, and drag queens, led by a whip-cracking ringleader. Twain herself emerged swathed in pink tulle and crowned with a rhinestone-studded black cowboy hat.
Twain kicked off her set with one of her biggest hits, “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” instantly igniting the massive crowd. The stage backdrop, adorned with hot-pink animal print, set the tone for a show that felt like a cowboy-themed drag brunch or Nashville Pride event. Twain, dressed in a tiny black minidress, fishnet tights, knee-high boots, and elbow-length gloves, embraced her status as a gay icon with full country glamour.
Twain, looking fabulously glamorous and impeccably put-together, reminded the crowd of her monumental success with “Come On Over,” her blockbuster 1997 album. She followed her opening number with “Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You),” a lively tune that had the audience tapping their toes and bobbing their Stetsons.
Despite her glamorous appearance, Twain’s voice, affected by a 20-year battle with Lyme disease, lacked the suppleness it once had. Though she sang tunefully, her voice had a harsher tone, particularly noticeable on upbeat songs like “Up!” and “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!” Twain has openly discussed the impact of the disease on her voice, and today she performed with a tone that, while not as playful as before, still captivated the audience.
The legends slot at Glastonbury is more about celebrating an artist’s influence than perfectly replicating their past hits. Twain, after sipping from an enormous lilac Stanley cup, reflected on the nearly 30 years since “Come On Over,” noting its lasting impact on pop music. Her stage set, featuring dive bars, hen parties, casinos, sunsets, and butterflies, evoked a sense of an all-inclusive girls’ (and gays’) night out, perfectly matching the atmosphere of the Pyramid stage crowd.
While the show was crowd-pleasing, songs not from “Come On Over” didn’t resonate as strongly. An early attempt to lead the audience in an a cappella singalong of “You’re Still the One” fell flat. However, Twain managed to reel the crowd back in with a line dance to “Any Man of Mine.”
The highlight of the performance was the closing number, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” Twain encouraged the crowd with, “Let’s go, girls and guys,” sticking to the lower harmony and letting the audience take over the high notes. The crowd, full of impressively melodic singers, enthusiastically joined in, pulling their boots up and pitching in to create a memorable finale.
