She wants to spend the rest of her life loving him...

Nostra Dam
Oct 30, 2020
12 min read

Updated: Jun 27

Tina Arena, real name Filippina Arena, is an Italian-Australian singer-songwriter who can boast of being one of the highest-selling Australian female artists to date, at no less than 10 million records. Her stage name ‘Tina’ actually comes from an analogy with the ending of her real first name 'pina' , the nickname given to her by her family when she was little.

She started her artistic career very early, at the age of 10, participating in a well-known tele-hook in Australia Young Talent Time. Very quickly, she became one of the iconic members of the show and was renamed Tiny Tina. Name under which she will release her first album "Tiny Tina and Little John" in 1977, album where she shares the bill with another boy named John Bowles.

She left the show in 1983, when she was 16 years old. And signed his first contract with the Graffiti Records label a year later, label which allowed her to release his first single "Turn up the beat". A single which was released in 1985 and which would have some success in Australia. But not enough for the label to allow her to follow up with an album.

She then converted herself into advertising jingles and also appeared in musicals. And she will have to wait until the very beginning of the 90s to sign with a new label, this time EMI. The single "I need your body" was released in the process, which this time will reach the top of the Australian Charts. A success due in part to the physical metamorphosis of the young woman who now plays thoroughly on her rather advantageous plastic !

His first album "Strong as steel" was released the same year and was also very successful in the land of kangaroos. But she will have to wait another 4 years to finally see his efforts rewarded at the height of his merits thanks to the album "Don’t ask", album which was released in 1994 and which finally offered her the long awaited global recognition.

An album which will sell more than 2 million copies worldwide and which will produce the trifle of 4 top planetary hits, just that. Starting with the biggest, "Chains" which comes out the same. Follow in the wake "Sorrento moon (I remember)", "Heaven help my heart" and "Show me heaven" which came out a year later in 1995. The notoriety of the singer literally exploded.

Three more years passed before the release in 1997 of the album "In deep", an album which confirmed its status as a phenomenon of the moment but without amplifying it. And who will work mainly on the Old Continent and in the southern hemisphere. Album from which will be extracted mainly "Burn" in 1997. Followed in 1998 by "I want to know what love is" and "I want to spend my lifetime loving you", enormous soundtrack of one of the flagship films of the year in know The mask of Zorro.

But which will also produce 2 singles in French language including the enormous "Aller plus haut" in 1999, single which will be one of the biggest hits that year in the hexagon. It will sell around 600,000 copies. The singer is then at the height of fame and success.

An adventure that would continue for the following decades without the singer being able to maintain an equivalent level of success, unfortunately.

To discover or rediscover...

Discography (among others ...) :

70s Decade :

You're the one that I want 1979

80s Decade :

The way we were 1983
Xanadu 1983
Turn up the beat 1985

90s Decade :

I need your body 1990
The machine’s breaking down 1990
Strong as steel 1990
Woman's work 1991
Chains 1994
Sorrento moon (I Remember) 1995
Heaven help my heart 1995
Wasn’t it good 1995
Show me heaven 1995
Trust me this is love 1995
That’s the way a woman feels 1996
Love's funny that way 1996
Burn 1997
If I didn’t love you 1997
Now I can dance 1998
Whistle down the wind 1998
I want to know what love is 1998
I want to spend my lifetime loving you 1998
If I was a river 1998
Aller plus haut 1999
No more tears 1999

2000s Decade :

Les 3 cloches 2000
Live for the one I love 2000
The flame 2000
The day the world stood still 2000
One little Christmas tree 2000
Soul mate #9 2001
Dare you to be happy 2002
Tu es toujours là 2002
Symphony of life 2002
I'll come runnin' 2002
Je te retrouve un peu 2003
Never (Past tense) 2003
Italian love song 2004
I'm in trouble 2004
Aimer jusqu'à l'impossible 2005
Je m'appelle Bagdad 2006
Timeless 2006
Entends-tu le monde ? 2007
To sir with love 2007
Tu pourras dire 2008
L'un pour l'autre 2008
S'il m'est donné 2008
Oh me, oh my 2008
Only women bleed 2008
Nights in white satin 2008
Night fever 2008

2010s Decade :

Voici les clés 2011
You set fire to my life 2013
Still running 2013
Only lonely 2013
Reset all 2013
White light 2013
Things we do for love 2014
Je dis call me 2015
I want to love you 2015
Overload 2015
Magic 2015
A foreign affair 2017
Tant que tu es là 2017
So far away 2017
L'ombre de ma voix 2018
Toi, bléssé 2018
Ave Maria 2019

2020s Decade :

Church 2021
Bang bang 2022
House 2023
Love saves 2023

Tracks :

1979 ... and yes, unbelievable as it sounds, it's the same one who 15 years later would become one of the biggest stars in the world of song. What is certain is that little Filippina already has everything of a great ...

1983 ... the little girl has grown up. And his talent begins to burst the screen, it is undeniable. Especially when she covers Barbra Streisand !

1983 ... for now she is only in the luxury cover but not for very long. Either way, all of the 'copies' she delivers are pretty much the same as the original. Really amazing ...

1985 ... the incredible Young Talent Time adventure is now closed, young Tina can finally stand on her own feet. And it starts off with a bang with a particularly punchy first solo title which gives her her first notable success. Everything could be fine. Except that the rest will be a little more complicated to manage than expected ...

1990 ... while we could have imagined that she was going to smash everything at the end of the 1980s, the story is not quite going to go as planned. With the result of a huge air gap of 5 years. So here she is again only in this decade of 90 but this time, this decade will be hers !

1990 ... now that the machine is well and truly launched, things will unroll quickly and hard. The rise will be linear, you just need to be a little patient to see her touch the stars. Because to touch them, she will touch them !

1990 ... a year 1990 which saw her return to the race in an obvious way. Admittedly, the success is limited for the moment to Australia but one suspects that she will not stop there ...

1991 ... even if this title is not devoid of quality, far from it, it will not even be classified. We thought she was going to smash everything for good this time around, unfortunately she will disappear from the radar again for a few years. Go figure ...

1994 ... back 3 years later and this time, she's not coming back to do extra work ! The proof with this title which offers her a first planetary recognition. Finally !

1995 ... only one title in 1994 and then goes. So here we are the following year, a year 1995 which will confirm all the good that we could think of, and above all, all the potential of the singer...

1995 ... the focus on events is confirmed with this new global top hit. The notoriety of the singer is constantly increasing and there is really not much missing to make her one of the phenomena of the moment...

1995 ... after a succession of Dance titles, here she arrives in Intimist mode. And unfortunately, it is not necessarily in this area that she is the most effective because this title will only be classified in Australia ...

1995 ... she brilliantly demonstrates that the Intimist also suits her perfectly. You just have to bring her the right titles. Obviously, when she takes over Maria McKee's biggest hit, a title dating from 1990, we see the result. The copy will not be worth the original but it comes close !

1995...a year that also saw her play it as a shocking and charming duo. And it works in that mode too...

1996 ... the problem with her is that the level of titles fluctuates significantly from one year to another and that the result in the Charts necessarily suffers. This year will be a year 'without' as they say ...

1996...here she is in soundtrack mode for the film 'One Fine Day'. A soundtrack mode that will soon establish her as one of the greatest singers on the planet...

1997 ... 1997 will be a better vintage, we can see it immediately with this title with obvious inspiration. Like what, when she wants ...

1997 ... she really has a problem with the Intimist because she does not demerit in this area, far from it, but as soon as she produces an original title, the public does not follow. Go figure ...

1998 ... well, on the other hand, she doesn't do better in Dance. She still does not manage to release the title which will make the difference and dedicate her to the planetary level at the height of her talent ...

1998 ... new luxury cover this time of Andrew Lloyd Weber's title dating from 1961. A nice cover once again but which still does not allow her to reach the heights ...

1998 ... since she excels in the luxury covers of Intimist titles, she might as well cover one of the most beautiful of the last 20 years, especially when they are compatriots. Her resumption of the Foreigner title dating from 1984 is a real success and allows her to come back to the race once again. Phew ...

1998 ... then comes this HUGE title ! Here she is simply signing one of the most emblematic titles of the decade thanks to this soundtrack of the film 'The mask of Zorro'. A consecration largely deserved but a consecration only on the Old Continent, the Anglo-Saxon sphere not having followed in sight of the results in the Charts. Decidedly, she might have tried everything, when it doesn't want, it doesn't ...

1998 ... results in the Charts completely random, and above all, completely contradictory. This title will only be classified in England. The permanent lottery ...

1999 ... the title which will literally explode its notoriety in France. Written by a certain J Kapler, who is none other than Robert Goldman, younger brother of Jean-Jacques. In any case, a title which will remain as one of the biggest hits of the end of the decade in France and which will make her one of the most popular foreign singers of the moment. HU-GE !

1999...that's what you call a legendary duo ! Such a concentration of talent could only produce a result of this level !

2000...she decided to revisit one of Edith Piaf's flagship songs from 1946. A bold bet, as they say, but a successful one this time...

2000...here she sings the English version of 'Vivre', one of the reference titles from the musical 'Notre Dame de Paris'. A pleasant version but less gripping than the original...

2000...who else but her could have sung for the Sydney Olympic Games that would take place that year ? No one else, of course...

2000...another little soundtrack to see if she hasn't lost her touch. Nothing exceptional, but simply good work...

2000... come on, a little special Christmas title just to vary the pleasures as much as possible. She had to come by at some point or another...

2001...after a break in the French language, it's back in English. A return that also means a return to Dance mode...

2002...even if this new opus is not lacking in interest, it is clear that it will not remain as the highest ranked of all...

2002...she now alternates between songs in English and songs in French. Singing in French won't help her stay on top internationally...

2002...hence this gradual drop in the charts. A second part of her career that would see her disappear irreversibly from the very top level...

2002...impossible to imagine that these two wouldn't be reunited on stage one day or another. Now it's a done deal !

2003...but that doesn't seem to bother her that much at first glance. Everyone manages their career as they see fit, that's clear...

2003...she multiplied her partnerships at the beginning of the 2000s, with varying degrees of success. On this occasion, we'll talk about success, but it's mainly focused on the United States and England...

2004...a first part of the 2000s decade which saw her clearly fall back in the Charts but without being relegated to the depths...

2004...another high-caliber duet with one of the leading artists of the Italian music scene. And as always, with her, it works...

2005 : a decade 2000 which saw her continue her little path, mainly in France. A country which succeeds to the highest point, the proof once again with this title. MAS-TER-FUL !

2006...the main thing for her now is to go where the wind takes her, regardless of the consequences, good or bad. For now, it's holding up anyway...

2006...it remains to be seen whether this strategy will continue to pay off for a long time. Only time will tell, of course...

2006...another powerful and charming duo that works perfectly, as always with her. We're bound to want more...

2007...if there is a final drop, it won't happen during this decade in any case. So she might as well take advantage of it as much as possible...

2007...at this stage, at least, she tells herself that anything is still possible and that the adventure is worth continuing for a few more years. And in principle, she's absolutely right...

2008...this new opus will only officially produce one Single, and it would have been a shame to overlook the others. Here's one that's been brought back into the spotlight as it deserves...

2008...because there is quality in all of this, it must be said. She manages to maintain a sufficient level of quality at this stage in any case...

2008...even if the best years are now behind her, it is certain that she still has interesting things to offer and especially to sing...

2008...here she revisits an old standard by the singer Lulu dating from 1969. A title which will be her last official title of the decade...

2008...there will be other product titles, but these will remain confidential to say the least. It's a shame, because they deserved to see a little more light, as they say...

2008...covering the cult title of the Moody Blues dating from 1968 is more or less an impossible bet and yet the result will be far from being devoid of interest...

2008...the same goes for this revisited version of the cult Bee Gees song from 1977. The copy won't be better than the original, but it will certainly come out on top...

2011...we find her at the beginning of the 2010s in duet mode with Gérard Lenorman and the result is not so bad in the end...

2013...a decade like the 2010s that will prove to be much more complicated to manage than expected, with a level of success that will seriously drop...

2013...more and more titles will slip under the radar, despite their obvious quality. Hard law of the trade...

2013...that won't dissuade her from throwing in the towel prematurely, far from it. A determination to believe in it until the end that delights the long-time fans to the highest degree, of course...

2013...core fans who always want more and who hope that she won't give up until the end. A message heard at first sight...

2013...what's impressive with her it is its ability to make old and new. And in this case, we're undeniably in the modern era...

2014...a title with an old-fashioned sound that's bound to have a hard time reaching younger generations. At least she tried...

2015...a title that will be released during this year 2015 but produced in the past and which revisits Blondie's flagship title dating from 1980...

2015...a year that sees her temporarily return to the race. Everything is good to take, as they say, so we might as well make the most of it...

2015...a track that won't be officially released as a Single, but it would have been a shame to overlook it. Here it is, brought back into the spotlight as it deserves...

2015...same for this one. Might as well bring back into the light as many titles as possible that haven't been officially released and that frankly should have been...

2017...a title that frankly deserved to be in the spotlight a little more, but unfortunately, that won't be the case in the end...

2017...return to the French language. Her passion for France remains undiminished, and it will surely remain so until the end...

2017...she revisits here the title of Carol King dating from 1971 and by golly the result is largely up to expectations, to say the least....

2018...even if the Singles are no longer ranked, the albums are. Certainly at levels that have nothing to do with the past, but still...

2018...whatever happens, the will to believe in it until the end remains intact at this stage. So there's a good chance we'll see her again in the following decade...

2019...a timeless song where she simply indulges herself. A song performed thousands of times by thousands of artists, but which will retain its magical quality until the end of time...

2021...as expected, she's back once again. She won't give up until the end, regardless of success or failure...

2022...she revisits here the French version of Cher's title dating from 1966. Nothing extraordinary there, but the intention is there in any case...

2023...as long as the albums continue to sell, there is every reason to believe in the future even after so many years of career...

2023...that's what she tells herself every day when she wakes up, and in principle, she's absolutely right. In music, anything is always possible...