Inside Shania Twain's Marriage

She's one of the world's most glamorous and talented country singers; he's one of the most successful record-producers and songwriters. So it's no surprise that Shania Twain and Robert "Mutt" Lange eventually crossed paths. Lange contacted Twain after he saw her music video "What Made You Say That." As Twain explained in 40 Days That Shaped Country Music, "He called me up and said, 'Look, there's a quality in your voice that I really like." Twain gushed, "He said, 'You know, we really should get together and see what we can do as songwriters.'"

Lange has worked with high-profile artists like AC/DC, Maroon 5, Bryan Adams, Lady Gaga, and Muse. The South African producer saw potential in Twain and was the driving force that incorporated a more poppy sound into her music. "As a producer, [Mutt] is very much a director," the songstress explained to The Guardian. "He was driving the direction of the sound. He didn't drive the direction of my voice and never tried to change me ... He drove the instrument choices."

Together they created The Woman In Me, which went on "to sell millions and, in 1996, won a Grammy for Best Country Album" (via Official Charts). Six months after meeting face to face, the two were married, and by 2001, Twain gave birth to their son Eja. "I think we make a great team," explained Twain in 40 Days That Shaped Country Music. "Obviously, we love each other."

It's all fun and games until families start playing Wife Swap without informing all the players. Case in point: When Frederic Thiebaud discovered his wife, Marie-Anne, was having an affair with Shania Twain's husband, Robert "Mutt" Lange, he told Twain. Spoiler alert — it didn't go well. As Frederic revealed on Oprah, "I did discover the affair with my wife and Mutt ... and I said, 'Guys, now you have to tell [Shania]. This is ridiculous. You just owe her that.' And they didn't want to do it. So I had to tell her."

Then — get this – Frederic found phone bills and hotel receipts, and recalled seeing lingerie and a garter belt in Marie-Anne's suitcase from one of her solo trips (via Daily Mail). Twain admitted to being in denial and wanted an explanation from Lange and Marie-Anne. "I called her up," Twain explained on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, adding, "I wanted to give her the opportunity to tell me herself without me accusing her ... And she said, 'No ... I don't understand why you'd think I would ever hide anything from you.'"

Lange and Marie-Anne denied having an affair. After Marie-Anne ignored Twain's calls and changed her phone number (red flag), Twain emailed her. "Please leave us in peace ... If you could see me crying and suffering, maybe you would have pity. Find love somewhere else, from someone else that isn't hurting two families so much."

There's no denying Shania Twain experienced an incredibly devastating series of events that left her emotionally shattered. No one had bigger problems, romantically or otherwise. Fortunately, Twain didn't have to experience the turmoil alone. "The person to comfort me was Fred [Thiebaud] because he's been through the exact same thing," she explained on Oprah.

Certainly, new love can be the furthest thing from one's mind during the deep throes of heartbreak. But, as Twain gushed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, an unexpected love blossomed out of a strenuous shared experience. "We slowly became very, very good friends. We had many months of just trying to make sense of everything. Holding each other up was a very difficult time emotionally for both of us ... And really found something very beautiful in the end and unexpected."

Inspired by Thiebaud's calm composure, the Canadian country singer said she gradually began to see Thiebaud in a new light. "You see all their anger, how they handle their grief, their desperation," the singer noted to Redbook, adding, "And he did it beautifully and was able to give me support at the same time. I admired him first. I think that's very important." But as Twain's feelings grew for Thiebaud, she admitted worrying about what people would think about them getting together. "He was Marie-Anne's husband. That's twisted if you really think about it ... But just so beautifully twisted."

If it's not social media official — did it even happen? Don't answer that. Per Country Daily, Shania Twain made her relationship official on her 44th birthday on August 29th, 2009, on her website. As she wrote, "A dear friend and true gentleman by the name of Fred, has been the most constant companion of support for both Eja and me." The crooner went on, "And having gone through the suffering of his family splitting apart at the same time under the same extreme circumstances, he understood me better than anyone. We leaned on one another through the ups and downs, taking turns holding each other up. We've become stronger and closer through it all, as have our children, Eja and Johanna."

According to People, Thiebaud finally proposed the following year with a three karat solitaire diamond ring. "She's a true angel. That's what I think," gushed Twain's beau on Oprah. On January 1, 2011, the pair married in Rincon, Puerto Rico, in an intimate ceremony. "My closest friends and family say they haven't seen me this free-spirited and happy in years," Twain proudly told People. "And it's true. It's definitely true."

The Canadian country singer may be one of the world's biggest stars, but behind closed doors, Shania Twain is just like anyone else when it comes to enjoying romantic pastimes with her spouse. "Kissing, talking, playing tennis," Twain gushed to Redbook, adding, "Fred [Thiebaud] hits hard and keeps me on my toes. I'd chase a ball for him any day." 

And let's be honest, famous or not, no couple escapes cheesy nicknames. "We stare at each other a lot and call each other lovey names," said the country singer. "I'm Sunshy, short for Sunshine, and he's Beauty Man because he's so darn beautiful!"

Undoubtedly handsome, Twain said her hubby's eyes are his best physical feature. "They're gentle, intelligent, and alluring, and such a beautiful shade of green. Fred's and Eja's eyes are exactly the same shade." One would have to be blind not to see Twain and Thiebaud are nothing short of a perfect union. The songstress noted that Thiebaud's compassion for others is what she loves most about her husband. "Fred is a true gentleman. He waits for everyone else to begin eating before taking a bite. He's always concerned about world affairs and the interests of others."

Amidst new love and restrengthened vocal cords, Shania Twain set her sights on resurrecting her singing career. But it wasn't as if she could just pick up from where she left off. "There were three albums and 15 years of our collaboration," Twain told Belfast Telegraph. "So the fear was ... not knowing where to begin after all that time, and knowing that the expectations would be high — because Mutt is a genius." Twain revealed her doubts pioneering a new path. "There were a lot of moments when I was just too afraid to tackle it ... Maybe I should just leave it where it was."

Ultimately, Twain decided her new material had to come from the heart, which produced a darker tone, both vocally and lyrically. "Who's Gonna Be Your Girl?" are lyrics expressing the dark and lonely crumbling of Twain's marriage. As the singer explained to Rolling Stone, "It's about feeling unappreciated and knowing that you are secondary. Having to live with someone that has different priorities and accepting that you're not the most important thing in a person's life." Gulp. Meanwhile, "Swinging With My Eyes Closed," is a pretty self-explanatory track, yet heart-wrenching, everything considered.

On September 29, 2017, Twain released her fifth studio album Now, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Leaps and bounds, friends. Leaps and bounds.