Liza Rebecca Walsh and her band are all set to ‘getcha good’ this Sunday as they pay tribute to the Queen of Country Pop during the Goa stopover of ‘The Shania Experience’ tour
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
Like many young girls, Liza Rebecca Walsh used to love singing along to her favourite tunes with a hand brush in hand.
“I always wanted to be a performer. My friend and I would make up shows together and dress up; it was great fun,” she recalls, adding that she also had two huge posters on her bedroom walls—one of Madonna in her ‘Like A Virgin’ dress and one of Elvis in his iconic white suit. “I used to look at them and think, ‘I want to be like you one day,’” she shares.
But it was in 2019 that Walsh first began contemplating doing a Shania Twain tribute. “Someone I met in the UK’s elite Eagles tribute show said I looked very similar to Shania and should do a tribute to her. I knew her hits, of course, and really loved them, but when I started to listen to her three albums from the ‘90s, I fell in love with all of her songs. It just seemed like a great fit and suited my voice,” she says.
As the world went into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, Walsh utilised that time to study the Queen of Country Pop by watching her concerts and interviews. “I spent hours recording her songs and going back over them to get the phrasing and intonation perfect,” she shares. Shortly after, she was approached by a promoter in the U.K. to front a Shania theatre show in 2023. Alongside this, she also took on a cruise contract, and since then, her career has taken off with many amazing opportunities.
Besides her Shania performances, Walsh also does a Country Legends set. “I’ve always loved country. My dear late grandmum used to love country and would play me her favourite vinyl records—Glen Campbell, Crystal Gayle, and Dolly, of course. These songs are in the show. I really love some of the new country artistes too. Country has really exploded,” she says.
While Walsh has many favourite Shania Twain songs, like ‘If You’re Not in it for Love,’ ‘Holding on to Love’, and ‘Forever and For Always’, one of her lesser-known favourites is ‘Juanita’. “It has a beautiful Spanish guitar in it and is a great song about courage and strength when you need it,” she shares. Also, ‘Honey I’m Home’ was her first favourite song when she started the show. “And of course, I love ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman’ because when I see the effect it has on the crowd, it just sends shivers down my spine. It is so empowering! It’s still such an anthem.”
Touring India for the first time, Walsh is excited about her upcoming Goa performance. “The audience can expect lots of amazing songs, humour, and audience interaction. It’s a high-energy show emulating her ‘90s shows. I have five or six replica costume changes, so the audience gets the full Shania Twain experience. It really is a show for all ages,” she says.
Walsh adds that she feels truly blessed to be living her dream job. “I’ve been fortunate that my dedication and hard work have paid off. Touring can be exhausting, but to share Shania’s music and hear all her fans’ stories is just amazing. I feel really lucky to be doing it.”
(The show will be held on January 12, 7 p.m. at Kala Academy, Panaji. The event is brought to Goa by El Camino Events and Productions.)
