We Speak Music

Marsha Swanson Is Building New Worlds Through Song, Storytelling And Imagination In New Single ‘Something Real’

Published

3 months ago

July 29, 2026

For Marsha Swanson, music has always existed somewhere between memory and possibility. A songwriter with a lifelong fascination for psychology, storytelling and emotional connection, she has spent decades exploring how songs can do more than entertain — how they can create spaces where people can reflect, imagine and feel understood. Now, with the launch of her ambitious creative project TroubleChutes and the release of her evocative new single “Something Real”, Swanson is opening the doors to a world entirely her own.

Blending music, illustration, education and emotional literacy, TroubleChutes feels less like a traditional release and more like an evolving universe. At its heart is a simple but powerful idea: that creativity can help us better understand ourselves. Through original songs, memorable characters and imaginative storytelling, Swanson has created a project that encourages curiosity rather than providing easy answers, inviting listeners to explore emotions in their own way.

The inspiration behind TroubleChutes stretches back to Swanson’s childhood, when she discovered the magic of projects that merged music and visual storytelling. The influence of Carole King and Maurice Sendak’s Really Rosie remained with her — a work that demonstrated how songs could capture complex feelings while still feeling playful, colourful and full of wonder. Years later, Swanson has transformed that early inspiration into something designed for a new generation.

Her new single “Something Real” captures the essence of this vision. A beautifully layered piece of songwriting, the track explores the relationship between imagination and reality, celebrating the idea that fantasy is not separate from emotional truth but deeply connected to it. Swanson’s voice carries a sense of warmth and sincerity, creating a song that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly contemporary.

The release also reflects a remarkable creative collaboration. Featuring contributions from acclaimed producer Stuart Epps, musician and presenter Henry Thomas, and a collection of talented musicians including Paul Hirsch, Martyn Barker, Tony Qunta and Clifford Slapper, the track brings together artists from different backgrounds to create something richly textured and emotionally resonant.

Beyond the music, Swanson’s vision continues to expand through education, television and animation. TroubleChutes has developed into a multi-platform project designed to support emotional learning, bringing together artistic expression and real-world impact. Yet beneath all the ambition remains the foundation from which everything began: the song.

“Songwriting is where everything begins,” Swanson explains. For her, music is the meeting point between philosophy, psychology and storytelling, a place where questions can exist without needing immediate answers. With “Something Real”, Marsha Swanson is not simply releasing a single; she is inviting audiences into a universe where imagination becomes a pathway to understanding, and where every story has the potential to reveal something meaningful.

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We Speak Country

Shania Twain Announces Major UK & Ireland Summer Shows for June 2027

Published

6 hours ago

November 2, 2026

We Speak Media

Shania Twain on horseback with her arms outstretched, wearing a fringed brown jacket and white top, with a red pickup truck and desert landscape behind her

Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning global icon Shania Twain has announced a major run of outdoor shows across the UK and Ireland for June 2027, including headlining State Fayre, the UK’s largest music and BBQ festival, on Saturday 19 June.

The eight-date run begins at Scarborough’s Open Air Theatre on 16 June, before Shania heads to Glasgow Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park, State Fayre Festival in Chelmsford, Cardiff’s Blackweir Fields, Live at Powderham in Exeter, Dublin’s Marlay Park, Belsonic in Belfast and finally culminating at Oxfordshire’s Blenheim Palace Festival on 29 June.

Tickets go on general sale on Friday 6 November at 9am.

The announcement follows the release of Little Miss Twain – The Places I’ll Go, the deluxe edition of Shania’s acclaimed seventh studio album, Little Miss Twain. Released this July, Little Miss Twain marked a significant and deeply personal chapter for Shania. After more than three decades as one of the most successful and influential artists in music, the global superstar turned back to the beginning, revisiting the experiences, sounds and memories that shaped her before the world knew her name.

Drawing from her childhood and teenage years growing up in Canada, the acclaimed album traces the roots of her singular sound across country, pop, rock, soul and bluegrass, offering a revealing portrait of the influences behind an artist who would go on to reshape the boundaries of country and pop music. The album also features an exceptional lineup of collaborators, including Tanya Tucker, T Bone Burnett, Ronnie Wood, Josh Homme, Ray Parker Jr., and Toto’s David Paich. With Little Miss Twain – The Places I’ll Go, Shania expands that story, offering an even deeper look at the formative experiences and musical influences behind both the artist and icon she would become.

Also recently released was the audiobook of Shania’s 2011 memoir, From This Moment On, now available with narration from Shania herself. The bestselling book traces her tumultuous rise to stardom and features a new foreword with personal reflections on her journey.

Shania’s influence remains as far-reaching as ever. In 2027, she will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Come On Over and the 25th anniversary of Up!, two era-defining albums that transformed country and pop music, broke barriers around the world and cemented her status as a global icon. With a huge run of live dates in 2027, and a biopic chronicling her life and career also in development, Shania continues to look ahead while celebrating the music and milestones that have defined her extraordinary career.

SHANIA TWAIN, UK & IRELAND 2027
Wed 16 June, Scarborough, Open Air Theatre
Thu 17 June, Glasgow, Glasgow Summer Sessions, Bellahouston Park
Sat 19 June, Chelmsford, State Fayre
Tue 22 June, Cardiff, Blackweir Fields
Thu 24 June, Exeter, Live at Powderham
Sat 26 June, Dublin, Marlay Park
Sun 27 June, Belfast, Belsonic
Tue 29 June, Oxfordshire, Blenheim Palace Festival

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