Shania Twain calls for equal play and more diversity in country music | CNN

Shania Twain's powerful message for the country music industry has sent shockwaves throughout the genre. The legendary singer-songwriter took home the prestigious Equal Play Award at Sunday's CMT Awards, using her acceptance speech as a platform to call for greater equity and diversity in the business.

In a heartfelt moment, Twain reflected on how one of her biggest hits, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!", became an anthem for generations of women. She acknowledged that she never intended for it to become such a defining phrase, but its impact has been profound, empowering countless women worldwide.

Twain's acceptance speech was met with applause and cheers from the audience as she passionately expressed her vision for an inclusive country music industry. "We're family," she said, emphasizing the need for unity among artists of all backgrounds. Unfortunately, the current state of the industry falls short of this ideal, perpetuating a lack of diversity that does a disservice to emerging talent.

In a bold move, Twain shared her plans to highlight an array of talented artists on her upcoming "Queen of Me" tour, including Lily Rose, Lindsay Ell, Hailey Whitters, Mickey Guyton, and more. By spotlighting these acts, she aims to pave the way for greater representation and equal play in the industry.

Twain's commitment to trailblazing extends beyond her own career, as she has vowed to continue fighting for fair treatment of artists regardless of their background. Her impassioned plea echoed through the venue, with fans and fellow artists alike taking notice of her unwavering dedication to change.

One highlight from Twain's acceptance speech came when she took to the stage with the African American singing group The BoykinZ, a trio of talented sisters who are rapidly making waves in country music. Their connection was palpable as they performed an unforgettable acapella piece together, a testament to the power of unity and collaboration.

Twain's powerful words have resonated throughout the industry, sparking conversations about fairness, representation, and inclusion in country music. As she continues on her journey to promote positive change, fans can only hope that her message will inspire lasting reform within the genre.
 
πŸ™ I feel like I'm reading this way too late lol. Shania Twain's speech was so inspiring and I love how she's using her platform to make a difference. It's crazy that one of her songs became an anthem for women everywhere, but at the same time it highlights the lack of diversity in country music. I'm so glad she's speaking out and trying to highlight more artists from different backgrounds on her tour. Lily Rose and Lindsay Ell are amazing and I've been listening to their music nonstop. It's about time someone like Shania Twain came along and was like "enough is enough" πŸŽ€πŸ’–
 
omg like Shania Twain slaying the game again 🀩🎸 her message is so needed in this industry - it's about time someone with her platform spoke up and called out the issues. i love how she's using her "Queen of Me" tour to give a spotlight to more diverse artists, it's about time we saw some change πŸ’β€β™€οΈπŸ‘‘. and can we talk about how beautiful that moment was when she performed with The BoykinZ? 🎢 their energy is infectious. twain's dedication to creating positive change is inspiring, let's hope her message doesn't get lost in the noise. fingers crossed for a more inclusive country music industry πŸ’•
 
omg i love this Shania Twain is like a total icon for speaking out about equality in country music 🀩 it's so refreshing to see someone with so much influence using their platform for good. i think she's absolutely right, the industry has been lacking diversity and representation for way too long 🌎 her plans to highlight talented artists on tour are going to be amazing πŸ’₯ and its awesome that she's not just stopping at her own career, she's committed to making a change for everyone in the music industry πŸ’–
 
omg I'm so hyped about Shania right now!!! 🀩🎸 She's literally changing the game with her Equal Play Award win and speech at CMT Awards! I'm not surprised though, she's always been a queen and a trailblazer. I love how she spoke up about diversity and equity in country music - it's so needed! 🌈 And can we talk about that performance with The BoykinZ?! 😍 Those sisters are talented and Shania brought them to the stage, giving them a platform they deserve. It's amazing to see her commitment to promoting positive change in the industry. I'm already counting down the days until her "Queen of Me" tour! πŸŽŸοΈπŸ•Ί
 
I just watched Shania Twain accept this award for promoting diversity in country music πŸ™ŒπŸŽΆ and I gotta say, it's about time! She's right, the industry has been super lacking in representation πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ. It's awesome to see her using her platform to shine a light on talented artists like Lily Rose, Lindsay Ell, and Mickey Guyton πŸ‘.

I mean, think about it - one of Shania's biggest hits is literally called "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" πŸ˜‚ and she's been talking about how empowering it was for women. It's crazy that it's taken this long to recognize the importance of having more diverse voices in country music πŸ€”.

I'm all for change, and if Shania Twain is leading the way, then I'm definitely on board πŸš€πŸ’–. Can't wait to see her "Queen of Me" tour and hopefully we'll get to see even more talented artists getting their moment in the spotlight πŸ’«
 
πŸ€” I'm kinda feeling both ways about this. On one hand, Shania Twain's speech was super inspiring & it's awesome that she's using her platform to bring attention to the lack of diversity in country music. She's literally setting an example for others to follow and promoting unity among artists. But on the other hand, I'm a bit skeptical about how much change can actually happen within the industry so quickly... πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ
 
I'm like totally stoked for Shania Twain! She's been a queen of country music for years, but this is a whole new level. I mean, who wouldn't want more diversity and equality in the industry? It's about time someone spoke up about it. I love that she's not just talking the talk, she's walking the walk too. Highlighting those talented artists on her tour is gonna be epic! And can we talk about The BoykinZ? Those sisters are talented, talented, TALENTED! 🀩🎢
 
omg i just saw this on my feed like a week ago πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ what took you guys so long?! anyway shania twain is literally a queen for speaking up about diversity in country music we need more artists who are willing to use their platforms to create change and celebrate the beauty of different cultures πŸ’– i love that she's taking steps to highlight emerging talent on her tour it's gonna be lit! can't wait to see more artists from all backgrounds get the recognition they deserve πŸŽ‰
 
I'm loving Shania Twain's Queen of Me tour lineup! It's awesome to see more diverse faces taking center stage. I think it's time for the country music industry to reflect our global community better πŸŒŽπŸ’–. We need more artists like Lily Rose, Lindsay Ell, and Mickey Guyton who are breaking barriers and pushing boundaries. And, honestly, I'm so inspired by Shania Twain's commitment to change - she's a true icon πŸ’ͺ🏽. The BoykinZ performance was EVERYTHING 😍... it just goes to show that when we come together as one, magic happens ✨!
 
I'm loving Shania Twain's vibe right now πŸ‘πŸΌ. She's not just a queen of country music, but also a fierce advocate for change πŸ”„πŸ’–. I mean, who wouldn't want to see more diverse voices and faces in the industry? It's about time we started giving emerging talent some real love πŸ’•.

I'm super hyped about her plans to spotlight talented artists on tour πŸŽŸοΈπŸ‘―. More representation is always a good thing, and it's awesome that she's using her platform to bring attention to underrepresented groups 🌈.

And can we talk about how powerful it was when she took the stage with The BoykinZ? 😍 Those sisters are killing the game, and it's amazing to see them getting the love they deserve πŸ‘‘. Shania Twain is more than just a legend – she's a true leader in using her influence for good πŸ’ͺ.
 
I gotta disagree with Twain's plan to shine a light on all these new faces. I mean, think about it, every time we have a black artist or a woman make it big in country music, we always remember them because they're not "supposed" to be there. It's like, can't they just blend in and not make such a big splash? πŸ™„ And what's with the whole "we're family" vibe? That just sounds like code for "we need to stick together and exclude everyone else". I'm all for diversity, but let's not pretend it's all sunshine and rainbows. There are still some talented artists out there who don't fit into Twain's idea of what country music should be πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ
 
omg yaaas @ShaniaTwain is literally a queen πŸ™ŒπŸΌ i love how she's using her platform 2 make a real difference in country music industry 🎢 diversity & inclusion r soooo important we need more voices like hers in leadership positions 🀝 can't wait 2 see the lineup 4 her "Queen of Me" tour, it's gonna be lit! πŸ’₯πŸŽ‰
 
I'm so down for Shania Twain bringing more diverse voices to the country music scene πŸ™Œ. The whole industry needs a shake-up, and it's time for them to stop playing it safe with the same old faces πŸ’₯. I love that she's highlighting those emerging artists on her tour – it's about time we see some fresh talent getting the recognition they deserve 🎸. And can we talk about how awesome it was to see The BoykinZ take the stage? That energy is infectious! 😍
 
I'm so down for more diversity in country music 🀩 Shania Twain is a total boss for speaking up about it and using her platform to bring attention to emerging artists like Lily Rose and Hailey Whitters. It's about time we see more talented women from different backgrounds getting the recognition they deserve πŸ’ͺ Those African American sisters, The BoykinZ, are totally rocking the country music scene right now 🌎 I'm loving how Shania is using her "Queen of Me" tour to highlight these artists and bring change to the industry πŸŽ‰ Can't wait to see what other trailblazing moves she makes πŸ’₯
 
I'M SO PUMPED TO SEE SHANIA TWAIN TAKING A STAND FOR EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY MUSIC INDUSTRY 🀩🎸! IT'S ABOUT TIME WE SEE MORE WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR GETTING THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE πŸ’β€β™€οΈπŸŒŸ. I LOVE HOW SHE'S PLANNING TO SPOTLIGHT TALENTED ARTISTS ON HER TOUR, LIKE LILY ROSE AND MICKEY GUYTON πŸŽΆπŸ‘. IT'S GOING TO BE SO COOL TO SEE THIS DIVERSE LINEUP COME TOGETHER ON STAGE 🀝🌈! TWAIN'S COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING FOR FAIR TREATMENT OF ARTISTS IS TRULY INSPIRING πŸ’ͺ🎸. WE NEED MORE LEADERS LIKE HER IN THE INDUSTRY, SPREADING LOVE AND POSITIVITY πŸŒΉπŸ’–.
 
idk why shania twain needs to be a superhero or whatever πŸ€” i mean dont get me wrong shes iconic and all but like whats next gonna be kacey musgraves saving country music from itself πŸ€‘ its funny how people think one big speech is gonna change everything tho weve seen this before and itll play out the same way
 
man... Shania Twain is literally a queen πŸ™ŒπŸ’–, I love how passionate she is about this stuff it's like she's not just accepting an award, she's trying to rewrite the rules of country music herself. and that part with The BoykinZ was insane! πŸ’₯ they killed it on stage and showed us what unity can do when we come together as one community 🌈. but at the same time, I feel like this is still a pretty small step forward... like, we've been talking about this stuff for years in other genres, why country music has to be last is just wild πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. anyway, Shania Twain is the real MVP πŸ‘ and I'm so here for her "Queen of Me" tour πŸ’ƒπŸ•Ί!
 
🌎 Shania Twain is killing it with her acceptance speech! She's not just a legend in country music, but a true trailblazer πŸš€. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion is inspiring, and I love how she's using her platform to uplift emerging talent πŸ’–. That "Queen of Me" tour is gonna be lit πŸ”₯! It's about time the industry steps up its game and becomes more inclusive πŸ™. Can't wait to see what other changes we'll see from Shania and her squad πŸ‘―β€β™€οΈπŸ’ͺ
 
I'm so glad Shania Twain is speaking up for artists like Lily Rose, Lindsay Ell, Hailey Whitters, Mickey Guyton and more. It's about time we see a tour with such a diverse lineup - it shows she really means her words 🎀. I'm all for equal play in the music industry, it's about time we break that glass ceiling (or should I say, vinyl record πŸ˜‰). The way Shania connected with The BoykinZ on stage was beautiful, it just goes to show that when people come together, amazing things happen πŸ’–.
 
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