Shania Twain credits open communication — not grand gestures — as the cornerstone of her 15-year marriage to Frédéric Thiébaud.
In a conversation with People, the country music icon offered a candid look at what sustains her relationship with Thiébaud, whom she married on New Year’s Day 2011 in Puerto Rico. The two began dating in 2009 following highly publicized divorces for both, became engaged in late 2010, and have remained together since.
A Talker and a Thinker
Twain described Thiébaud as unusually forthcoming with his emotions, a quality she clearly values. “He’s really good at reminding both of us that we have to keep communication open,” she told People. “He’s the greatest talker, and he’s not inhibited at all with expressing his feelings, which is really wonderful in a man.” She went further, saying that any woman with a partner willing to keep dialogue flowing is “blessed.”
Their approaches to conflict, however, don’t always mirror each other. While Thiébaud prefers to address problems immediately, Twain said her own tendency is to pull back — to “meditate over the issue, take a walk or be alone with my guitar” before engaging. Despite that difference, she said their shared commitment to staying communicative has allowed the relationship to thrive.
Meant to Find Each Other
Reflecting on how their paths crossed after both endured public marital breakdowns, Twain expressed a sense of inevitability about the relationship. “It just takes sometimes years to find that person,” she said, adding that had she and Thiébaud met as teenagers, he still would have been her “lifelong love.”
With a decade and a half of marriage behind them, Twain shows no sign of taking that foundation for granted — and for fans of one of country music’s most enduring figures, her candor offers a rare glimpse into the personal life she guards carefully.
