Shania Twain appeared on the People's Choice Awards on Tuesday night (Dec. 6) not only to perform a medley of her celebrated hits, but also to accept the prestigious Music Icon award. Twain was presented the award by actor Billy Porter, and she thanked her fans and mentioned her late mother throughout her sincere acceptance speech.
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"Oh my gosh, this is such a privilege and a dream! Am I dreaming?" she said upon accepting the trophy. "Thank you so much for presenting me with this award and highlighting my work for having a significant impact. I don't know if that's the right thing to say, but it's always my wish to inspire people with my music."
"I always miss my mother at these moments my life," she added. "She would have loved watching her little girl living this moment right now. But my fans, my friends, my team -- you are the ones, who really fill that space... not my mother's space. But you're here with me, you're celebrating, we're celebrating together, and you've made me feel loved and special my whole working life. I'll always be grateful for that."
She then talked about her love for creating music, saying that songwriting has always been her "form of escapism."
"It never occurred to me how powerful lyrics can become when you are able to record and share them with the world," she said. "The biggest honor is that people have found strength and inspiration in my work. Thank you and I love you for that."
The hit singer also encouraged young dreamers to follow their passions and be themselves.
"Embrace your individuality and your crazy ideas," she said. "Just be brave."
Before accepting her award, Twain performed a more than five minute medley of hits including "Any Man of Mine," "That Don't Impress Me Much," "Waking Up Dreaming" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman." The performance featured outfit changes, backup dancers and other visual effects.
The acceptance of the People's Choice Awards honor comes as Twain has announced her massive 2023 headlining Queen of Me Tour. The tour gets started on April 28 in Spokane, Wash. and runs through September 28 in Leeds, U.K. A rotating cast of openers including Kelsea Ballerini, Breland, Lindsay Ell and more will be joining her.
