Shania Twain Talks Stage Fright Concerns Ahead of People’s Choice Country Awards Hosting Gig

Shania Twain is feeling all the feels ahead of her big night. Before she steps on the stage to host the People’s Choice Country Awards on Thursday, the country icon told Taste of Country about her mixed emotions going into the gig.

“I’m not the greatest reader,” Twain said, alluding to having to use a teleprompter. “I’m a very spontaneous speaker and thinker, so if I get rambling, they might have to take the hook out and get me off the stage.”

But Twain predicted that any jitters are going to be “more about adrenaline than nerves.”

“[I’ll just be] feeling excited, building up to meeting artists that I haven’t met yet,” she said.

Twain noted that she takes her duties of host seriously, though she also wants to have a good time.

“Listen, I plan on going to have a lot of fun,” she said. “My responsibility is to host hard-working artists, to take my hat off to their talents and to join the fans in celebrating the music they love the most. I’m there as a fan.”

In addition to her hosting job, Twain is nominated in the concert tour of 2024 category. Before the night’s even started, Twain is already sure it’s all going to go by too fast.

“I will say that the night’s gonna go by too quickly for me, that excitement might get me either speaking too quickly or too long,” she said. “I think I’ll be more like a giddy child.”

Shania Twain Is Drawing Inspiration From Reba McEntire

After Twain was announced as the show’s host, she told Billboard about how she was looking to Reba McEntire for tips and tricks. McEntire has hosted the Academy of Country Music Awards 17 times and the CMA Awards five times.

“Any of those big shows rely a lot on the spirit and the mood of the host, because the hosts are chosen, I think quite carefully, making sure people are relating and the host has experience,” Twain said. “Reba is one of my favorite hosts.”

“She’s speaking from experience and I think that commands respect and attention. She’s funny and smart, and is loved by all,” she continued. “It’s a compliment to be asked to do something like [hosting an awards show]. So Reba is a good example for me.”

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