‘I don’t have a use-by date’ says Tina Arena as she embraces ARIA Hall of Fame honour

TINA Arena has won more ARIA Awards than she has been to but on Thursday she will be there to be inducted into ARIA’s Hall of Fame.

‘I’ll decide when my use-by date is’

TINA Arena is one of the nation’s highest selling female artists having sold more than 10 million records worldwide.

She has won seven ARIA Awards and twice accepted the World Music Award for best-selling Australian artist. Her last album Eleven — her eleventh studio album — released last month, debuted at number two on the ARIA album charts.

On Thursday the 48-year-old Arena, who lives in Melbourne and Paris, will be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

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‘I’VE probably only been to about five or six actual ARIAs ceremonies, because I’ve lived overseas, so yes, maybe I’ve won more awards than I have attended ceremonies — I haven’t done the figures.

Last time I was at the awards was five years ago when I flew over specifically to induct John (Johnny Young, Arena’s mentor, of Young Talent Time fame) into the Hall of Fame, so in a way this is kind of completing a circle for me.

That (inducting Johnny Young, Arena sang his song, The Star as part of the dedication) was important to me — I was never going to let it happen without me.

John is very important to me so I enjoyed that wonderful process of being able to write him a speech and to thank him for everything and the contribution he’d made to the industry and never been recognised for, which really blew me away, because he is an extraordinary man.

I’m a little surprised to be inducted so soon after — only because — I don’t know, it’s nothing I really thought of.

‘He’s an extraordinary man’ ... Tina Arena and fellow ARIAs hall-of-famer and mentor, Johnny Young. Picture: Supplied

I was hoping it would happen one day, but I don’t exactly spend my time splitting hairs saying ‘by the time I’m 45 or 50 I want to be inducted’. I don’t expect anything, therefore when things happen you are beautifully surprised.

I have a bit happening at the moment — a new album, moving back from overseas to Melbourne. It’s a whole new chapter. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived in Melbourne. We’ve been looking for the past four years because when we were here (Arena, her partner, Vincent, and son, Gabriel) we were living with Mum and Dad who were so graciously beautiful to have had all of us. They had a chance to see Gabriel in his really formative years, but it was time to move out and get into our own house.

We have been splitting the time between Paris, England and made a determined shift to spend more time here. I never really left, though.

... very happy to be home in Melbourne. Picture: Michael Keating

Musical great ... Tina Arena to ber inducted into ARIA Hall of Fame. Picture: AAP / Dean Lewins

I celebrated 49 recently, and I want to tell that tiny little Young Talent Time Tina how wonderful it is to grow older.

It’s so beautiful to embrace it. I have a very different relationship with age than perhaps most. I’ve not really enjoyed the instilling of that whole ageist mentality, which I find hugely boring. I do not share that mentality, I just don’t understand it.

I think women do blossom and get more beautiful with time.

There are beautiful moments at every stage of life, but I don’t have a use-by date. I’ll decide when my use-by date is. I’m not interested in anybody else deciding that for me.

Secret scandals from the ARIAs? I don’t have one — everyone is pretty loud and funny and there are funny moments.

And if there’s a cat to let out of the bag, I sure ain’t going to be the one to release it.”

Acclaimed new album ... Part of Tina Arena’s Eleven cover Picture: Supplied

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Originally published as ‘I don’t have a use-by date’ says Tina Arena as she embraces ARIA Hall of Fame honour