Date with Kate: Tina Arena

20th July, 2014

Lunch with Tina Arena

One of Australia’s highest-selling female artists, Tina Arena returned to the ARIA charts last year with Reset, her first album of original songs in more than a decade. Next month she embarks on her self-funded national Reset Tour. I caught up with Arena to chat about returning to her pop roots, the loneliness of stardom and her hidden talent.

Congratulations on your coming Reset Tour.

Thank you – I’m very excited about it. It has been a long time since we’ve been seeing new material. So it’s going to be really interesting to see how the people gauge that after many years of doing really favoured and very well-known songs, and very well-loved songs.

What has it been like to self-finance your tour?

Incredibly hard bloody work. But you know, unless people take risks, you never know. But it’s always a challenge.

What have been the advantages of self-funding it?

Well, the pros are having transparency on things, knowing where the money goes, knowing how all of that is divided; the creative freedom as well, which for me is so important to be able to just do what I’m going to do and do how I want to do it. It’s something that not many artists are doing today but more and more are doing it… because there is no money in records at all, so we have to make a living as well. It’s an enormous risk but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. And that’s really what I believe. So why not?

What can the audience expect from your tour?

For me this tour is a real return to my pop roots. It’ll give me the opportunity to perform new songs from Reset, and we’ve looked right back into my catalogue for songs I haven’t performed in a while – right through every album I’ve released. If there is one Tina Arena show you must see, this is it. It’s the type of show that you get dressed up with your friends and just have a great night out.

How do you prepare before you go on stage?

I usually stay very quiet. The silence allows me to focus on what I’m about to undertake. The shows will be very physical and it is all about pacing myself.

Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

I like my cup of tea with honey and lemon.

Tina singing on stage

What is the writing process for you?

I tend to isolate myself a lot. It’s a pretty lonely existence: you travel a lot, you’re on your own, you’re away from your family and you’re away from familiarity … But the upside of that is it allows you the freedom to be able to really look at things. You need that “zooming out” in order to rise. So I am alone a lot and I really enjoyed the creative collaboration on this [new] record, because I worked with a different bunch of people that are all really interesting and that were all really open.

What is your biggest career highlight?

The birth of my son has been my greatest performance.

You have been in the industry for many years and had such a successful career. What is the secret of your success?

I don’t think there’s any big secret to success. For me it’s always been about being passionate, working hard, staying driven and surrounding yourself with good people.

What’s the biggest change you have seen in the industry over the years?

The obvious change is how the internet affects how we consume music. The fact that tangibility is no longer a part of our lives is a little surreal for me as a singer/songwriter who makes records. I loved having vinyl, then cassettes, then CDs, with packaging that informed me of who wrote the tracks and who produced them. Nowadays, everything is behind a screen and the experience is not the same. That musical warmth I grew up with – along with squillions of others – no longer exists unless we play a CD in a CD player, or a record on a turntable. Of course, the biggest change the industry has seen is the loss of revenue the artistic world suffers due to the illegal downloading that goes on, which affects not only the artist but the countless people behind the scenes who have been made redundant from their work, some several times over. Whilst we can be grateful for being able to reach every corner of the globe due to this extraordinary invention, my question for anyone who cares to know the truth is: who would be prepared to work all week long without getting paid?

What is the best part of your job?

Being on stage in front of an audience.

What is the worst?

Being “on stage” 24/7.

How do you juggle motherhood and your career?

I’m not quite sure, to be honest. My partner is such a gem. I’d never be able to fulfil all my commitments without him helping with the organised chaos. You’ve gotta love it, although I do want to rip my hair out sometimes. But doesn’t everyone?

How do you divide your time between Australia and France?

I predominantly do usually about six months each. But sometimes it ends up being a little bit more in Australia, through choice and work, as well because I’ve really decided to favour and spend more time here because I’ve been away for such a long time. It just felt like it was time to come home and spend time with the family too, because none of us are getting any younger.

What is next in the pipeline?

More work overseas, the tour, and what comes after will hopefully come. There will be other projects. If I can get through Dancing with the Stars I reckon there’s still lots more that I can explore.

What do you do for fun?

I cook, have a laugh, have friends and family over … I’m looking forward to getting my hands into our garden once it’s finished! And I love to read.

Do you have a secret talent?

Apparently I’m not a bad cook, so it has been said… Thanks mum!

BITE SIZE

WE WENT TO Flying Fish, Pyrmont.

WE ATE a selection of oysters, sashimi, soft shell crab hand rolls; seared scallops with misco chicken, sweet corn and finger lime; Fattoush salad.

WE DRANK Sparkling mineral water.

TINA WORE Marc’s top and jeans.

I WORE Equipment top and J Crew necklace.

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