Meghan Trainor, who is not a country singer and who has not released a song nearly as good as Shania Twain’s first single “What Made You Say That” in her admittedly short career, is scheduled to perform for Twain during this year’s CMT Awards. Now, I’m not sure how much weight the CMT Awards hold in the world of country music, but to have Trainor perform for Twain as she receives the award for “Artist of a Lifetime” feels—forgive me—wrong.
I mean no disrespect to Trainor, as she is a talented pop singer and songwriter, but her connection to country music is tenuous at best. As Rolling Stone notes, she co-wrote Lauren Alaina’s “Road Less Traveled” and once performed her most famous pop song during the CMAs, but beyond that…huh?
Fortunately, Trainor will not be alone. Jill Scott (who described her most recent album as “Philly soul meets country rhythm”) and “breakout” country star Kelsea Ballerini will join her, but I’m still confused. Imagining Trainor sing “You’re Still the One” or “You’ve Got a Way” is as easy as imagining Twain singing “Me Too” or “No,” by which I mean it’s impossible and makes my brain hurt.
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