Tina Arena “Greatest Hits & Interpretations”
Australia’s very own songstress and queen of pop, Tina Arena has been part of the fabric of Australian music and pop culture for the past four decades. Her voice has sent shivers up the spines of three generations of music lovers from her early days on Young Talent Time, to her hugely successful debut album Strong as Steel, her incredible international success and ten times platinum Don’t Ask (1994), the multi-platinum In Deep (1997), and followed up in 2001 with the critically acclaimed Just Me. Tina’s era defying career also includes two best-selling French-language albums, two much-loved volumes of Songs of Love & Loss, the 2013 release of the platinum-selling Reset (her first album of new English language material in over 12 years) and the gold certified, Eleven in 2015.
A 40-year recording career by any singer is an extraordinary milestone, and Tina Arena is the only Australian artist to earn a gold or platinum certification for each of her original albums, in every decade since the 1970s right through to now. In fact, every album in her career has gone gold, platinum or multi-platinum. This release marks the 40 year anniversary of Tina’s first album Tiny Tina and Little John with Johnny Bowles from Young Talent Time fame.
To mark this special milestone Tina has released a two disc Greatest Hits collection. The first disc, Retrospective, is a collection of Arena’s greatest hit singles spanning over the last 30 plus years. From the 1990s hit, I Need Your Body to Tina’s most recent anthem, I Want To Love You. It also features Burn, Chains, Heaven Help My Heart, Wasn’t It Good, You Set Fire To My Life and Now I Can Dance.
The second disc Reimagine takes an innovative approach with Tina’s favourite musicians creating and reinterpreting their own versions of songs from Tina’s career. Artists include Morgan Evans, Clare Bowen, Jimmy Barnes, Katie Noonan, Kate Miller-Heike, Jessica Mauboy, Alex Hope, Ben Abraham, Ainslie Wills, David Thibault and The Veronicas. Highlights include Morgan Evans’ version of If I Didn’t Love You, Dannii Minogue’s take on Sorrento Moon and Tina Arena’s version of the INXS anthem, Never Tear Us Apart.
In summary, it is a very classy selection Tina’s best work with very clever arrangements of her songs by both her and her hand-picked friends. A must-buy for all Tina Arena fans and music lovers alike. Tina is going on the road to celebrate the release of her new Greatest Hits & Interpretations double album with the Innocence to Understanding Tour kicking off around Australia in early September. Don’t miss it.
Review by Rob Lyon
