http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment...ory?id=13529925
Although her songs exude passionate love, country-pop singer Shania Twain knows what it means to be heartbroken.
In an interview with "Nightline" anchor Cynthia McFadden, the famously private performer opened up about growing up hungry and poor in an abusive household, her husband's reputed affair that ended their marriage and her finding love again.
Twain, 45, who has never exposed her personal life in such a public way before, said she now wanted to "testify" to her experiences to help others. Her new memoir, "From This Moment On," is in stores now.
"I think I've remained very detached from my life to this point, almost as though it was a different person, every phrase I went through," Twain said. "So I've reconnected and said, no, this is actually who I am. I'm neither embarrassed of who I am, where I come from, what I've experienced, I'm not ashamed of it."
Growing up in the small town of Timmins, Ontario, Canada, Twain told McFadden about the years of physical abuse she said her mother Sharon endured from her stepfather Jerry Twain, the man she always called "Dad."
"[It was] overwhelming for any child to never know what to expect from one day to the next," Twain said. "It could happen anytime. But also you don't know if they're going to survive it."
Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT
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-Chris