The superstar ditched her glamorous image for the reunion

Twain, who now lives in Switzerland, told Canada's CTV News she was glad she decided to go.

"I came for the same reason everybody else came," she said. "This (reunion) only happens once."

Graduated

The star, who graduated in 1983, started singing when she was eight years old.

When she was 21, her mother and stepfather were killed in a car crash and she was left to raise her two younger brothers and sister.

It was only when they were old enough to fend for themselves that she was able to follow her musical dream, changing her name to Shania in 1990.

Her third album, Come On Over, was the best-selling country album of all time - shifting 26 million copies worldwide.

But there were no signs of the glamorous image she is associated with at the reunion.

Dressed in a sleeveless top and black trousers, she wore very little make-up as she mingled with old friends and well-wishers.

One guest, Susan Ford, was clearly delighted to see the school's most popular old girl.

She described Twain's appearance as the highlight of the evening and added: "It was worth driving all the way across Canada For this."