Shania Twain's Great Master Plan Works!

I was just thinking about Avril Lavigne, how when she was a little girl in Canada she was one of the little girls Shania Twain invited up to come up on stage and sing with her during her concert tour. While no one gave Shania proper credit, this was a very empowering thing to do -- to share the dream of performing in front of huge crowds to other girl singers. While other divas would never share their glory, Shania's busy pinning tiaras on anyone she can.

Anyway, here's the story from Teen Music:

What could make the already red hot career of pop-punk music "It" girl Avril Lavigne even hotter? How about an auspicious moment in the spotlight with Canadian country music icon Shania Twain? It was supposed to be a once in a life time moment, the kind of thing you grow up and tell the grandchildren about, instead it has become an intriguing piece of 21st century pop music trivia. It seems that a very famous Shania Twain once shared the stage with a then unknown young country singer wannabe named Avril Lavigne.

The year was 1999, the place was Canada's capital city of Ottawa, and as a publicity stunt for her Come On Over tour Shania Twain invited the winner of a local radio station contest on stage to sing a duet. The fresh faced 14 year old who won the coveted spot was none other than the tie wearing, fast talking pop-punk princess now known as Avril Lavigne. Her look was more subdued then but her trademark confidence came through when she prophetically declared to the crowd of over 20,000 at Ottawa's Corel Center that one day she was going to be a "famous singer." Ironically, the song she went on to sing with Shania was titled What Made You Say That?

What did make Avril declare with such certainty that she was destined for music stardom? Was it simple wishful thinking or something more Complicated? Only Avril can say for sure whether she knew she would make it big or only hoped it would happen, but one thing is clear, she has never forgotten her 15 minutes of country music fame. When Shania Twain made a recent appearance on Much Music (the Canadian answer to MTV) to promote her newest album "UP!" she was surprised by a recorded question from the now famous Avril. With all the playful attitude her fans have come to expect Avril slyly asked her childhood idol, "Do you remember me? I sang in Ottawa at the Corel Center with you. We sang What Made You Say That?"

Shania did remember the performance and confessed that her family had been telling her for two years that Avril Lavigne and the Corel Center girl were one in the same. She blushingly admitted that she didn't initially believe her family when they told her of her tie to the chart topping sk8er girl but was thrilled for her would-be protégée. So should Avril be thanking Shania when she walks on stage to accept her awards? According to Shania Twain the answer is a simple "no." Shania refuses to take any credit for Avril's success. She says that Avril's dedication and talent was clear from the get go and that she and she alone is responsible for her quick rise to international celebrity. Her only message to Avril regarding their brief encounter was a hearty congratulations and a promise to send her a copy of that momentous big stage debut.

And another take on the situation:

As Shania Twain prepares to host the Juno Awards on Sunday, we continue our week-long, exhaustive examination of the superstar. Today, Shania as role model.

- - -

There are worse role models than Shania Twain. Joseph Stalin, for instance. But it will surely irritate her detractors (crusty country music traditionalists, snobby music critics) that, though not nearly as profound as, say, the Beatles, the pride and joy of Timmins, Ont., has had a vast impact on the popular music industry and established herself as a hero to millions -- in particular to her younger fans.

On the surface at least, she's the ultimate hero for young women -- a rags-to-riches girl who held her family together with mustard sandwiches, fought her way to the top of a male-dominated industry and is now seemingly in control of every aspect of her career, image and marriage. Her use of and relationship with sex and physical beauty may complicate the hero model for some, but otherwise a quick sketch of her life is the stuff of inspirational made-for-TV movies.

During her 1999 tour, Twain ran a contest in connection with each stop that was, she says, specifically targeted at inspiring young people. In each city, children were invited to send in tapes of themselves singing along to one of Twain's songs. The best from each city would be invited onstage to perform with Twain, who was then riding the monumental success of Come on Over.

"It was my goal to give other young people the opportunity to get up onstage and in an environment where they can blossom, like I dreamed of doing when I was a child. I just thought it would be great to run a contest in every city that I was in and invite somebody up onstage because you just never know," Twain said in a recent television interview. "There could be somebody out there who was as serious as I was, who really just wants a break."

Such a contest isn't particularly unique, as the concept is what drives television shows such as American Idol and Popstars. And Shania's little star search would be all but forgotten by everyone except the couple dozen winners had it not been for her stop in Ottawa -- one that, though realistically just a minor moment in the ascent of Canada's latest star, has cemented Shania's hero status.

For on a March night in 1999 at Ottawa's Corel Centre, the lucky winner, singing What Made You Say That? along with Twain, was a 14-year-old girl from Napanee, Ont., named Avril Lavigne.

"It was the biggest rush of my life," Lavigne has said. "I walked out onstage and I was the happiest person in the world."

To say that performance was what launched Lavigne to pop stardom would be a gross exaggeration, and even Twain has admitted she cannot be given any credit for Lavigne's lofty status.

"I'm sure it's not because of the contest," she said in an interview with MuchMoreMusic, during which Lavigne appeared via a taped video message to ask Twain if she remembered the duet. "[Lavigne] was obviously very seriously pursuing a career."

But the event has gained near mythical status as the ultimate example of fate, destiny and inspiration.

Twain's influence isn't only felt in the bustling community of Napanee, but also in the tiny town of Markdale, Ont., where one might find 15-year-old Andrew Hiltz, possibly the only male teenage Shania Twain impersonator.

Though not yet a national or international celebrity, Hiltz is famous on the local level for his dragged-up lip-synching performances of Twain's Man, I Feel Like a Woman.

"When my public school said we were having a talent show, I just wondered what I could do and I thought that would be pretty funny," Hiltz said of his debut as the country vixen. "It was really good. [The crowd] started clapping and laughing and it made me feel pretty good."

On the strength of that reception, Hiltz has revived the act several times for town fairs and family parties.

"I just like being funny and stuff -- making people laugh," he said.

"She's one of my favourite country singers. I like the beat of the music, it gets you tapping your toes. It's really catchy."

Twain has inspired legions of followers, and here is where we begin to see her impact on the last decade of popular music.

Her arrival in Nashville heralded two distinct phenomenon: new country and, within that, the realization that attractive women singing country-tinged pop could sell records.

Along with Garth Brooks, Twain led the new country movement -- built on the premise that country music wasn't just for truck drivers and crusty old men in Tennessee. While Brooks is now shilling for Dr. Pepper, Twain has carried that trend onward to its inevitable conclusion -- her album Up! featuring both pop and country mixes of the same songs. And though some of the spin-offs have been downright unlistenable, new country has given us the mildly tolerable likes of the Dixie Chicks.

The music industry more or less works under a pack mentality, only in most cases we're talking about a pack of lemmings willing to throw themselves at even the feeblest of artists in search of chart success.

Much as any band that sounds remotely like the Strokes is being snapped up and released to an increasingly bored audience, so were pseudo-Shanias in the wake of Twain's first signs of success in 1993.

The resulting feeding frenzy gave us the likes of Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Beverly Mahood, Lee Ann Womack and Deana Carter. Most found limited success, though Hill thrived and Rimes later emerged as country music's answer to Britney Spears.

And speaking of Miss Spears, let's not forget Twain's impact on the latest batch of pop princesses. Long before Britney's or Christina's or Mandy's navels had their own publicists, Twain was breaking the midriff barrier with the video for What Made You Say That?

Twain's connections with the reigning temptress of pop don't end there. She and husband Mutt Lange penned Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know for Spears' second album.

In all, Twain seems to be building a long and storied legacy. Lavigne, Hiltz, the Dixie Chicks and Spears -- not quite the most dynamic of musical offspring, but otherwise a survey indicative of her wide and varied (some would argue insidious) influence.