THE biggest moments in Tina Arena’s career.
1977: A recording star is born. After several appearances in the talent contest section of Young Talent Time from 1974, Arena joins the team and, with fellow Young Talent timer John Bowles, releases Tiny Tina and Little John.
1983: Leaves Young Talent Time after six years and six months, the longest-serving member of the team.
1990: Releases the single I Need Your Body from the album Strong as Steel. The song went platinum, but is best remembered for Arena’s sexy new image in the accompanying music clip.
1995: Don’t Ask was the biggest-selling album in Australia for the year. The single Chains charted well locally, as well as in Europe and the US.
1998: Released the theme song to the movie The Mask of Zorro, a duet with Marc Anthony called I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You. It reached number three on the French charts.
1999: Released her first French language single, Aller Plus Haut. It sold more than one million copies, reached number two on the French singles charts and number one in Belgium.
2000: Sang the Sydney Olympics theme song, The Flame, introducing her to an even wider international audience.
2005: Released her first French language album, Un Autre Univers. The track Aimer Jusqu’à l’impossible was awarded song of the year in France.
2007–08: With no record company contract, Arena self-funded her albums Songs of Love and Loss, volumes one and two.
December 2011: French President Nicolas Sarkozy awards Arena the Knighthood of the Order of National Merit. She is the first Australian to receive the French accolade.
