In this week’s People cover story, the country superstar opened up about the relationship that changed her life, calling Thiébaud her “forever true love” and sharing why she believes their marriage has only grown stronger with time.
“This is the love I’m going to grow old with,” Twain, 60, told People. “And it’s a beautiful feeling.”
While romance still plays a big role in their relationship, Twain said it’s the sense of gratitude and emotional closeness they’ve built over the years that means the most to her. She even believes that if the two had met much earlier in life, they still would have found their way to each other.
“I do believe that he would have been my lifelong love even from then,” she said. “It just takes sometimes years to find that person.”
The couple officially began dating in 2009 after years of friendship, got engaged in December 2010 and married just a month later during an intimate New Year’s Day sunset ceremony in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
Open Communication Has Kept Their Marriage Strong
Twain credits one habit above all else for helping keep their marriage on solid ground: communication.
The “Still the One” singer said her husband has always encouraged them to keep talking through life’s challenges instead of letting problems go unaddressed.
“He’s really good at reminding both of us that we have to keep communication open,” Twain said. “He’s the greatest talker, and he’s not inhibited at all with expressing his feelings, which is really wonderful in a man. If you have a man that is really open and wants to keep the communication open, you’re blessed as a woman.”
Twain admitted that while she also considers herself a good communicator, her first instinct is usually to step away and process things on her own. Whether it’s taking a walk, meditating or spending time alone with her guitar, she likes to gather her thoughts before discussing a disagreement.
Her husband, however, takes a different approach.
“Fred wants to talk about it. He wants to talk it through, and he wants to fix it,” she said. “And that’s the best advice. I mean, he’s not wrong.”
For Twain, that openness has become one of the biggest reasons their relationship continues to thrive after nearly a decade and a half together.
Their Love Story Began After Heartbreak
Their relationship didn’t begin under ordinary circumstances.
Twain and Thiébaud first met in the 1990s through their former spouses and became close after both experienced the painful end of their marriages. Twain divorced producer Robert “Mutt” Lange after he allegedly had an affair with Thiébaud’s then-wife, Marie-Anne, who had also been one of Twain’s close friends, per People.
As they leaned on each other for support, their friendship slowly grew into something more.
Twain has previously said their shared heartbreak became the foundation for a lasting relationship. In an earlier cover story, she described Thiébaud as “such an undeniable love” after once believing she would never marry again. She also said the two helped each other heal during one of the most difficult chapters of their lives, proving that something positive could come from painful circumstances.
Looking back, Twain has also shared that she eventually found peace after her divorce and let go of any lingering resentment. She and Lange continue to co-parent their son, Eja, and she has expressed appreciation for the role he played in both her career and their family.
Now, as Twain celebrates the release of her new album, “Little Miss Twain,” she’s also celebrating a love story she never expected to have.
“And if you have a man that is really open and wants to keep the communication open, you’re blessed as a woman.”
