Impress me much? Shania Twain ready to lift homegrown artists on 'Canada's Got Talent'

Canadian comic Katherine Ryan and Shania Twain, right, are shown in this handout photo. Twain may have famously sung “That don’t impress me much,” but as a judge on “Canada’s Got Talent,” she wants the country’s contestants to focus on the passion, not the pressure. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Anita Zvonar

Shania Twain famously sings “That don’t impress me much,” but the “Canada’s Got Talent” judge hopes contestants aren’t intimidated by the sassy persona the performer embodied in her 1990s hit.

“I couldn’t have written a better line for this sort of scenario,” the pop-country superstar laughed during an interview last fall while the Citytv competition was shooting in Niagara Falls, Ont.

“Obviously, I wrote that lyric with a sense of humour, and I say it with a smile. I would never want any talent to feel pressured by me or intimidated by me in any way. I hope the talent gets up there and feels they’re doing it because they love it.”

Twain joins the fourth season of “Canada’s Got Talent,” premiering Tuesday, alongside returning judges Howie Mandel and Kardinal Offishall, as well as another new addition, Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan.

Like last season, the top award is $1 million from Citytv’s parent company Rogers.

Twain said the prize is especially significant to Canadian artists because they face many barriers to success.

“I would hope the stress is more about, ‘Will I win $1 million? Because that will really change my life.’ The performance part of it should just be really fun and come from a place of authenticity and sincerity and not worrying about impressing me,” she chuckled.

Ryan, meanwhile, vowed to be the most “caustic” of the judges.

“I just thought it would be really cool to bring my Simon Cowell edginess to Canada. I hope Canada’s ready for it. To be honest, I’m looking to be a little bit ruthless in a country where everyone apologizes,” cracked the standup comic, who grew up in Sarnia, Ont. but made a name for herself in the U.K. where she lives.

This season’s contestants include more than 100 musical, dance, comedy and variety acts from across the country.

Twain, who’s from Timmins, Ont., said she joined the show because she’s excited about discovering new Canadian artists — especially ones from small communities like her own.

“I’m proud of being a Canadian. And in my travels, for many years now, I’ve just met so many Canadians out there coming from our small little towns all over Canada.”

Twain said she feels a “connection” with fellow Canadian artists, who know about the country’s harsh winters as well as “the challenges of coming from Canada and making our way across the border.”

“It’s a big competitive world out there. So I think there’s some pride there, too, in being a Canadian that does make it internationally. We share that pride and it’s a really heartwarming connection to be a part of who is next out of Canada,” she said.

Twain broke out globally in the mid-‘90s with her sophomore album “The Woman in Me” and is now one of the highest-selling country artists of all time. She wrapped a Las Vegas residency last month and will embark on a North American tour this summer.

Twain said Canadian artists from rural areas face several obstacles within the country as well, noting that outsiders don’t realize how “sparsely populated” the country is, given its size. Timmins, for instance, is roughly a nine-hour drive to Toronto.

“If you’re from Timmins, Ontario, and you come from a poor family, you’re likely not going to make it to Toronto very often. So how are you supposed to get exposure? How are you supposed to get in front of record label heads and A&R people and scouts? It’s a huge challenge, just scraping up the money for that,” she said.

“You have to have a lot of drive and perseverance and commitment, as a Canadian, to even get exposed to the inspiration that gets you to the next level.”

Twain said it also takes support from established artists like herself to help aspiring Canadian artists succeed. A “huge financial boost” from a company like Rogers also helps, she added.

Ryan expressed her amazement at the $1-million prize, noting it outshines the £250,000 award on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

“They can win $1 million, which is like a week’s worth of groceries in Canada,” she quipped.

“People must be really, really excited about that. I can’t believe it.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2025.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press