One of the greatest voices of all time is back! Homegrown icon and international star, Tina Arena, will tour nationally in May 2021 with her brand-new show, Enchanté: The Songs of Tina Arena. Renowned composer, violinist and dancer, Eric Avery, will be special guest on the tour.
As the dark veil of COVID-19 begins to lift, the prospect of Tina performing selections from her transcendent songbook live – backed by a band plus string quartet – is the beacon of hope we all need right now. In Melbourne at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Tina will be accompanied by her band and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with a special reserved seated lawn.
Enchanté: The Songs Of Tina Arena kicks off in Brisbane on Sunday 2 May 2021 before touring to Sydney (5 May), Gold Coast (8 May), Adelaide (11 May), Melbourne (15 May), Perth (22 May), Wollongong (26 May) and Canberra (29 May).
“I could not be more excited to announce that we are touring Tina Arena next year,” said Paul Dainty, President and CEO of TEG DAINTY. “She is one of Australia’s most extraordinary performers. Tina is an absolute icon – such an essential part of Australia’s rich musical history.”
“She has also experienced such incredible success in Europe. We are so lucky to have Tina back on home soil and I can’t wait to welcome her onto our Australian stages once more,” he said.
Given that all touring plans ground to a halt early this year and life as we know it was put on hold as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, Tina is ecstatic to announce she has a 2021 tour on the horizon. “2020 has been such a challenging year for us all in so many ways with the music, arts and entertainment sectors suffering,” she said.
“It’s really important for us all to have something to look forward to and return to doing the things we cherish the most as much as possible. Performing is my lifeblood – it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do! – and I can’t wait to be back on stage singing and connecting with my fans through the power of music.”
“My art is all about sharing and when I’m giving it my all, the band’s locked in and the audience is responsive – there’s no greater feeling in the world! It’s a special kind of energy exchange; the whole atmosphere seems to shift.”
“Just thinking about it now, I miss performing so much! It actually feeds my soul. I am also pretty excited to have a reason to glam-up again, to be honest,” said Ms Arena.
Tina Arena (AM) certainly needs no introduction. Only a handful of artists achieve the kind of longevity and continued global success that Tina enjoys. She has sold over 10 million records worldwide, also punctuating her illustrious career with some career-defining, star performances in musicals (including but not limited to Notre Dame de Paris in The West End plus Cabaret, Chicago and Evita here in Australia).
But it was back in 1974, when Tina was just 7 years old, that her powerful singing voice and charismatic presence first beamed into our living rooms (and hearts) through TV screens as a contestant on Young Talent Time. Tina soon joined the regular cast a year later, becoming one of YTT’s brightest stars for 7 years before it was time to go out on her own and pursue a career as a solo artist in her own right.
An ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Tina is the only Australian artist to achieve at least one Gold or Platinum certification – for original album releases – in every decade since the ‘70s. In fact, every solo album release of Tina’s career since 1994 has been certified Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum. Tina’s discography is staggering, with 12 studio albums, 4 live albums, 5 compilations, 45 singles and 36 music videos released to date.
Her chart-topping Don’t Ask album (1994) remained in the Top 50 of the ARIA Albums Chart for a jaw-dropping 83 weeks! In 1995, Tina made history when she became the first female artist to win both Song and Album Of The Year at the ARIA Awards.
The world-class calibre of Tina’s songs is undeniable: Chains, Sorrento Moon (I Remember), Wasn’t It Good, Heaven Help My Heart and Symphony Of Life – all songs that have sound-tracked our lives.
Tina has also shared the stage with world-renowned artists such as Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Andrea Bocelli, Glenn Close, Antonio Banderas, Marc Anthony and Elaine Paige.
2017 marked Tina’s 40th year in the music industry and she celebrated with the release of her Greatest Hits & Interpretations collection. Peaking at #2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, this set became Tina’s 8th Top 10 record in this country. More recently, Tina’s featured vocal on Client Liaison’s A Foreign Affair which introduced her to a whole new generation of fans.
Special guest Eric Avery’s early education in music was learning by ear from age 11 then progressing on to violin studies at Newtown Performing Arts where he also learned a passion for dance. Graduating from NAISDA Dance College Eric has worked with Marrugeku, Black Arm Band, The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and Canberra Dance Theatre, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and The Australian Ballet.
Recent highlights for Avery are being able to play an arrangement of traditional Ngiyampaa music and violin with Yoyo Ma and creating new music and work with Ronald Smith as part of Avery-Smith, a new band which is exploring contemporary Indigenous and LGBTQ themes through music.
Enchanté: The Songs Of Tina Arena promises the same high level of quality, integrity, emotional depth and theatricality that we’ve come to expect from this extraordinary talent. The healing power of live music cannot be denied and that’s exactly what this country needs right now. Experiencing Tina Arena live is nourishment for the soul.
Tickets for Enchanté: The Songs Of Tina Arena go on sale – Monday 16 November at 10.00am. For more information, including tour schedule and ticketing, visit: www.tegdainty.com for details.
Image: Tina Arena – photo by Bernard Gueit @bernardgueitstudios | Makeup and hair: Huw James @huwwitha_w | Stylist: Nick Lord @nickwlord
Note: This tour will be held with a commitment to a COVID Safe environment. TEG DAINTY will work closely with and comply with all requirements of the public health authorities in respect of these shows