Shania Twain was told she would be 'hated by women' for this reason

Shania Twain is the epitome of a great pop star, with an impressive collection of singalong hits in her locker and one of the most iconic music videos of the '90s (that hooded coat put leopard print back on the map).

But 25 years ago when Shania Twain was about to hit the big time with her album, The Woman In Me, the singer's out-there look and 'forceful' demeanour was flagged as a potential hindrance.

According to reporting from The Independent, her record label warned the singer that there would be some backlash against her. “I would be hated by the men because I was too opinionated and too forceful and demanding, and I would be hated by the women because I was being sensually expressive,” she told them.

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“And I thought, well, I don’t believe that’ll be the case.”

Instead, the singer thought of herself as a "kindred spirit" for women, challenging the traditional feminine ideals; in other words, the notion that a woman would just shut up and put up with anything a man does.

“And as far as the men went, I was doing it all with a sense of humour… not in an aggressive way,” she continued. “I didn’t see it the same way the industry saw it.”

She continues to explain that country music “has experienced waves of progress and then regression” when it comes to sexism.

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“There are fewer women being played now than when I came out.

“You’re not really allowed to be too pretty or too sexy or too anything, expressively, as a woman. I think that’s a very sexist point of view.”

We're with you, Shania...