B.C. Shania Twain impersonator leads documentary on the booming business of tribute bands

Michelle Reid dons a cowboy hat as Shania Twain as part of her successful tribute act Totally Twain. (Courtesy: Michelle Reid)

Swathed in a black, sequined catsuit, with a luxe cowboy hat tipped to the crowd, you could be forgiven, in a certain light, for mistaking Michelle Reid for the real deal.

She isn’t, of course. Even the most adept event organizers couldn’t possibly engineer a visit from the Queen of Country Pop to the stage of a theatre in Chilliwack, or a private community club in Powell River.

Yet Reid is convincing as Canadian country music icon Shania Twain and her act, Totally Twain, is on its way to becoming one of the most sought-after Shania tributes in Canada.

There is a fascination surrounding cover bands, tributes and impersonators that has been gaining momentum in recent years. Reid, spurred on by the shock of her own success, is spearheading a documentary that lifts the lid on the business and explores the reasons behind the acts’ surge in popularity.

“There’s such a strange captivation with the tribute world, and everything that comes with that, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how neat it would be to do a documentary digging into it all,” says the artist.

Directed by UBC film graduate Brennan Little and set for release in 2025, The Sincerest Form of Flattery follows Totally Twain alongside a hodgepodge of other B.C. tributes and impersonators.

Viewers can expect to see Bonnie Kilrow, whose one-woman stage act spans everyone from Madonna and Cher to AbFab’s Edina Monsoon, and Elvis tribute artist Darren Lee. Nearly Neil, a regular fixture on the Canucks entertainment circuit, will also feature.

“Some of these people have actually been mentors to me, and all of them have really fascinating stories to tell,” says Reid.

It was in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, that Reid and her bassist husband Wally Kozakow began brewing the idea for Totally Twain. Both seasoned performers on the Vancouver music scene with personal projects and double act Two of A Kind, and avid Shania fans, Totally Twain had been a natural progression, she says.

“Our first show was April 9, 2022, the day the vaccine passports were no longer, and it’s been quite the journey since,” laughs Reid, adding how legion performances within the first year quickly progressed to slots at iconic country nightclubs, large-scale theatres and summer festivals across the province.

Even Shania Twain’s own resurgence - the star joined Harry Styles on stage at Coachella in 2022 and embarked on a world tour not long after - has done little to dent the success of the tribute. This year, after the country star announced she would be making an appearance at next year’s Calgary Stampede, Reid and Kozakow began receiving requests for shows from casinos in Alberta.

“Interestingly enough, we’re actually benefiting from it,” says Reid. “There are a lot of people who won’t be able to make that show or afford the tickets to it, and so we’re providing the next best thing. It’s a win-win situation for everybody.”

With ticket scalping on the rise and concert tickets becoming increasingly unaffordable for the public, tribute artists are providing a way for people to see their favourite band at a fraction of the cost, says Reid. A “Greatest Hits” selection of tunes is almost guaranteed, she adds, and the gigs feel more approachable to people from all demographics and backgrounds.

By offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the thriving industry, Reid says she hopes the documentary helps dismantle the common misconception that tribute acts “lack real artistry.” There’s talent aplenty, she says, and, contrary to popular opinion, there is little room for glorified karaoke singers.

“There are a lot of incomplete perceptions around tribute acts and impersonators. We can be called copycats, and there are a lot of negativities around the industry,” she says.

“What people don’t understand is the amount of work that goes into creating these acts. I hope this brings to light the fascinating people running this business, and the great things they’re creating.”

Reid has spent “hours upon hours” perfecting her vocal sound and modifying her image and wardrobe to be akin to the country icon’s. Now, she says, when she dons Shania’s archetypal leopard print garb and wears her flowing wig of brunette locks, it feels like putting on a second skin.

“When I get to sing this music for two hours, it just rolls off my tongue like butter. It’s easy for me to sing. I always say to my husband, ‘This feels like home,’” she says.

“I feel like this is just where I belong.”

The documentary will be initially released on totallytwain.com, before being shown locally in Vancouver and then elsewhere in North America.