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Biography

Filippina (Pina for short) Lydia Arena was born November 1st, 1967, in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, Australia. The middle child of older sister Nancy and younger sister Silvana, the Arena girls are from Italian descent. Inspired to become a singer after hearing her sister's You're My World record, it was hard to ignore the talent that Tina was born with. She took singing lessons and at the age of 7, began her career as "Tiny Tina" on the Australian talent television show Young Talent Time. After 9 years of improving her singing voice on the show, she left YTT in hopes of expanding her career and hopefully shedding the "Tiny Tina" image that she had become associated with. In search of work, Tina had to settle for the job offers that came her way, even if it meant less glamorous work such as singing jingles for commercials. Tina also worked at a Melbourne Insurance Company, but quickly realized that this was not what she was born to do -- her real life aspiration was to sing. Tina released her first single entitled "Turn Up the Beat", in 1985, but unfortunately it was less than memorable. She was back to square one; the same spot after having quit YTT, until she landed a gig at Melbourne's Grainstore Tavern, playing with another band. Things soon started to pick up for Tina: she got the role of narrator in the Australian production of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and in 1990, recorded her first album, Strong as Steel. The album became gold certified, and spawned such hits such as "I Need Your Body" (whose video made fans realize she has matured from her "Tiny Tina" days), "The Machine's Breaking Down", "Strong as Steel", and "Woman's Work/I Believe" -- all top 40 hits. In 1992, Ralph Carr became Tina's manager and, a couple of years later, became her husband. Not only did he encourage her to write her own songs, he also advised her to release a single before releasing her next album, a method widely employed by recording artists today. The single "Chains" piqued the interest of fans and encouraged them to buy the album Don't Ask.