Entertainer started career in Watford City
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Desiree Jai, North Dakota's Shania Twain impersonator Shania Too, stepped in to sing the national anthem for the Nodak Speedway in Minot on Aug. 16. For Jai, the call wasn't out of the ordinary.
"I have been singing for them for years, so I've always told them that if they ever had anybody that stepped out or was sick, I would step in and cover," Jai said. "I kind of practiced a few days before because I don't sing the (national) anthem all the time. It was just running through and making sure I knew everything."
Minot hasn't always been Jai's home. Originally from Watford City, she came to the Magic City for broadcasting school and to work for the radio. Coming from a musical background because of her mom, Jai said what was simply singing at first morphed into her joining bands and performing in her 20s.
"My mom used to minister to people in the nursing homes in Watford City and, according to her, I just told her she was singing so I wanted to sing, but I wanted to sing by myself. I started there and it kind of just morphed," Jai said. "I was in bands in my 20s and 30s, and then I started doing the Shania thing."
While Jai grew up listening to music with her sister, she never considered becoming an impersonator until a man at karaoke told her she looked and sounded like the Canadian singer. Up until that point, Jai only ever listened to Shania Twain casually.
"I used to compete a lot in karaoke contests and stuff like that. Back when the Blind Duck was here, a guy told me I looked and sounded like Shania Twain," Jai said. "He said it would be something kind of fun to do because there was nothing like that around here, so we started the prep, watching videos and watching her, learning everything that she did and it just started there."
What started out small soon turned into performing during parades and the North Dakota State Fair.
Jai said that in the beginning she would have advised herself to not take things so seriously.
"People are very forgiving and nothing has to be as perfect as you'd like it to be," Jai said. "When you're using equipment, it has a tendency to get overheated. Things tend to break down and you just can't let it get to you. You've gotta roll with it because most of the time people are very forgiving and understanding. They just enjoy the music, period."
She explained that her parents were always supportive and pushed her to do her best. Remaining close to home is of importance to her to keep connections and as long as people enjoy her Shania Too act, she's going to continue following that path.
"I'm just going to keep doing it as long as I can. I kind of just ride the wave and see what happens. If people still enjoy it and still wanna see it, I'm gonna keep doing it," Jai said.