Shania Twain Reveals She Wrote ‘Queen of Me’ Track ‘Inhale/Exhale AIR’ After Surviving COVID-19 Hospitalization

Shania Twain‘s new album Queen of Me finally arrived on Friday (Feb. 3). To celebrate, the country singer appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, during which she revealed that the album track “Inhale/Exhale AIR” was inspired by a private struggle with COVID-19.

“I affectionately call the song ‘Air.’ With everyone suffering from COVID…it’s such a respiratory infection that can really take your life very quickly,” Twain told the American Idol alum. “I won’t get into it, but when I was released from the hospital, the first thing I did was write down a list of things that air gives us. Obviously life, but I’m thinking, ‘OK, cheer yourself up. What does air give us that is very celebratory?’”

She continued, “I’m thinking champagne bubbles, balloons! With the air we can sail, we can fly, we can fly a kite. We have all these lovely things to celebrate about air. So I wrote that song. What are you going to do without that air? ‘Inhale, Exhale.’ That’s the most inspired song on the album.”

“Inhale/Exhale AIR” follows Queen of Me‘s self-love theme. Twain took to Instagram on album release day to share her excitement and her hopes for its listeners.

“I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my new album, Queen Of Me, is now yours 🥰 I wrote this album from a place of feeling good within myself – I wanted music that got me up dancing and lifted my spirits!” the 54-year-old wrote. “I think the fact that I recorded this album with so many good hearted and talented people only amplified that! I hope the album brings you joy and empowers you to feel good in your own skin!”

Watch Twain talk about “Inhale/Exhale AIR” on The Kelly Clarkson Show in the video above.