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 Multi platinum artist TINA ARENA chats about the secrets of her success with HEIDI LEIGH AXTON.
My earliest memory of Tina Arena is as one of the stars of the hugely popular Young Talent Time. Dubbed "Tiny Tina Arena," by host Johnny Young, she was the pocket-sized singer with an enormous voice. Before High 5 and The Wiggles, Johnny Young and his Team helped generations of teeny-boppers, not yet old enough for Countdown or Sounds (Countdown’s Channel 7 equivalent hosted by Donny Sutherland) find their inner party animal. So what’s it like growing up as a public figure? "You don’t know any better," explains Arena, speaking to me on the phone from the airport, having just arrived for her Aussie tour. "When you grow up in the public eye and you’re that young, you just end up doing it. You don’t really think about it."
Many former team members have complained over the years of their fight for adult recognition following exposure on the show. Yet, despite temporary obscurity post YTT, Arena insists she never doubted her chances of making the transition. "Oh no … I didn’t really think so much about that. I just knew that I had a lot of work in front of me, which was absolutely correct."
In 1995, with five ARIA wins for the album Don’t Ask, Arena’s jubilation was obvious. Produced by David Tyson, it went 10 times platinum in Australia and sold in excess of 1.3 million copies worldwide, making it the highest selling album of any Australian female Artist. These days her combined album sales are estimated to be over seven million. "The fact that I’m just continuing to do what I love, I think is pretty extraordinary," muses Arena. "The fact that it’s been 35 years and still very satisfying, that’s the biggest achievement for me."
Whilst promoting Don’t Ask in Europe, she was recruited with Marc Anthony to record the theme for Mask Of Zorro. The single was a massive hit in France. "Yes it was. It was a phenomenal hit. It was a HUGE hit in France. Chains had made a little bit of a noise there as well," says Arena. Shrewdly, she began recording in French to appeal to the French market. Perhaps as a result, she is one of only five non-French artists to sell over one million units in France. "In the beginning it was difficult, because I was working phonetically. It’s not the case anymore, because I read and I write a little but in the beginning it’s phonetic, of course."
I ask Arena if she had any amusing memories from her career of things that hadn’t gone to plan? "Lots of things don’t go right. You can be on stage and the power cuts. People stand up in the middle of a concert and demand an autograph or conversation. You know? Where do you want me to stop?" she laughs. "Hang on a sec, darling," she pauses and begins talking with someone else in Italian. She’s sounding a little frustrated. "Sorry Luv. My father’s taking me around and round the airport, because he’s forgotten where he’s parked his car. See? Another magic moment!"
TINA ARENA plays Brisbane Convention Centre on Friday Mar 13. Her album SONGS OF LOVE AND LOSS 2 is out now through EMI. Check out www.tinaarena.com for more information.
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