It was only three years ago that Uxbridge, Ont., singer and songwriter Robyn Ottolini rose to fame with her hit song F-150. In the midst of her whirlwind career, she now has another career highlight.
Ottolini will be the opening act for the country music queen herself, Shania Twain, during her Queen of Me stadium tour, which is already underway. The tour is Twain’s first in five years, and the Queen of Me album release was her first in six years. Twain will be touring across North America, and the tour will also feature artists Kelsea Ballerini, Lindsay Ell and Breland.
Ottolini opened for Twain at the 2022 Boots and Hearts Festival in Oro-Medonte, Ont., and says that was hard to wrap her head around.
She jokes that she’s still pinching herself about going on tour, especially being a lifelong fan of Twain. “It’s crazy,” said Ottolini. “She’s just so iconic, and she continues to be iconic and continues to push boundaries.”
Ottolini says she’s excited to chat with Twain, talk music, get to know her, and most importantly, ask about her dogs. “I want to know about her dogs, we might have similar breeds … But her dog is so cute,” jokes Ottolini.
It was back in 2020 when the Uxbridge native caught her big break, when her song F-150 went viral on Tik Tok, and eventually, got her a golden ticket to Nashville.
“I wrote that song because in Uxbridge I was dating a boy who left me. He drove an F-150, and driving around Uxbridge, your chances of bumping into him were pretty high. So whenever I saw an F-150 drive by, I would be like no, no, no,” said Ottolini. “And then one day I went home and wrote that song, and I guess a lot of other people felt the same way.”
The song rose to No.4 on the Spotify US Viral 50 chart, and No.3 on Rolling Stone’s all-genre Trending 25 chart. Shortly after, Ottolini signed her first record deal with Warner Music Nashville.
Ottolini’s style follows country music’s “three-chords and a truth,” as she continues to write real and raw songs about heartbreak and emotion that her fans can relate to. She says her songs are a diary, especially her latest song on Canadian Country Radio Match for my Memory.
“It’s about an ex that’s trying to move on, and get rid of you,” said Ottolini. “But you’re like, ‘You wish. You wish you could burn every single piece of me, but you can’t burn a memory. I’ll always be in the back of your mind, because there’s no match for my memory,’” said Ottolini. “I love that song.”
Ottolini has been writing music since she was 13, and she’s applauded for her authenticity and realness in her songs. One of her managers, Mark Shroor, says he’s not surprised her trajectory has been this impressive.
“I knew that tons of people were going to love this girl’s music,” he said. “It’s important music with a positive message and theres a lot of young women that need to hear the type of honesty that Robyn is willing to put into her songs.”
And for Ottolini to tour with Twain, is a match made in heaven.
“I like to think a young Shania had the boldness and confidence that we see with Robyn right now,” said Schroor. “I think Shania walked so Robyn could run.”
“Thank God I’m a normal human being with feelings,” joked Ottolini.
Eric Alper, Canadian media publisict, says the way country music is now is helping Ottolini succeed. “With artists like Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris, who are really real, and share their experiences … Robyn has done that as well and has been following in those footsteps,” said Alper. “But that house wouldn’t have been built, if it weren’t for artists like Shania Twain.”
He adds that artists like Ottolini aren’t afraid to shake things up, and be real “humans,” which is what their fans love about them. Alper says social media – whether it be TikTok or Instagram – has also allowed artists like Ottolini to really fast track their careers and get exposure.
Ottolini says she isn’t stopping with the tour. She’s expected to play at a few big festivals to be announced this summer, and wants her fans to be on the lookout for new music before the end of the year.
While she says she’s loving her life in Nashville, she’s always going to be a Canadian girl from Uxbridge.
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