Glen Hosking

Name: Glen Hosking
Age: 21
DOB: 12/04/79
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Favourite Tina Songs: Ummmmm, Sixteen Years, Whistle Down the Wind, Many Rivers to Cross, Les Trois Cloches are some of many. many favourites, although these are too numerous to mention.
Best Tina Moments: Read Below!!!!
Favourite Tina Cover Art: In Deep, I want to know what love is.
Rarest Tina CD I own: An original Young talent Time rendition of 'Macarthur Park', and have all Australian released recordings since that period.

I have been a Tina Arena fan for as long as I can remember. Whilst I can never remember watching her on 'Young Talent Time' ( her stint on the show was a little before my time!!), I was always an avid fan of the show, and enjoyed watching other former members of the show continue their careers into adulthood. However, nothing compares to the adulation and respect I have always held for Tina. I will now endeavour to give my account of my experiences where I have seen Tina perform live, and the most important, when I met her last month.

I first saw Tina perform live in and Australian musical 'Dynamite'. Whilst I was only 9 years of age at the time, I vaguely remember Tina's sensational voice echoing through the theatre, and that she was, beyond any stretch of the imagination, the shining star of the show. When I think of this show, she is all I remember!! Shortly after that, I remember buying, and listening repeatedly to Tina's first solo album 'Strong as Steel'. I knew then, and even at a very young age, that Tina was going to be, and truly deserved to be, a huge star, and that I enjoyed her music very very much.

I later saw Tina perform live in the Andrew LLoyd Webber 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'. I was somewhat familiar with the musical, having been a fan of past Lloyd Webber musicals, but nothing was to prepare me for what I was about to experience. Tina's role as the Narrator, a part that tells the story of the musical in song was perfect for her. She presented the role with great strength, humour, and professionalism. Indeed, as one review later commented, her voice has the purity of a church bell. I remember, at interval, listening to the audience chat around me. The woman behind me said "That Tina Arena, why she's not a international star is completely beyond me - she is sensational". I remember at the conclusion of the show, when Tina came out to take her bow, she got the biggest cheer of them all - it was, for sure, a sensational and indeed memorable performance.

I continued to follow Tina's career, and became an even bigger fan after the release of 'Don't Ask'. I was so happy to see Tina receive some widespread approval, and I enjoyed watching the album reach the top of the Australian charts, and see her collect a swag of ARIA (Australian Record Industry Awards) soon after. Not long after this, I again saw Tina perform live, although this was not at a Tina Arena concert. I watched her perform the Australian National anthem, and traditional patriotic song 'Waltzing Matilda' at the Australian Football League's Grand Final in 1994. Her version of the Anthem, but particularly the a capella 'Waltzing Matilda was, for me, the highlight of the day!!!

However, I will never forget when I actually met Tina face to face. This event happened at a CD signing at 'Borders' in December, 2000. I arrived at the venue some 2 hours before Tina was scheduled to arrive. I was very happy to meet many other Tina fans in the cue - many who had also been huge fans for a long time. As Tina's arrival came closer and closer, everyone was talking about what they would ask Tina when it was their turn to meet her. This was something that I had not even considered, but I choose not to think about it - I was hoping that when I met Her Royal Highness, the words would just come to me. At 2pm, the 'host' of the afternoon came out, and had some promo singles of Tina's Olympic Song 'The Flame' to give away. Asking questions, she gave them away to people who answered them correctly. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of one for answering a question asking the name of the musical that Tina had recently appeared in. When Tina arrived, she answered a few standard questions from the host, and then it was on to the signing. Being only the 7th person in line, I didn't have long to wait until it was my turn to meet my lifelong idol. As the cue in front got smaller, I was surprisingly composed, and as I moved up to Tina, I handed her my albums to be signed. She casually asked her my name, and then went on to sign my CDs. I asked her how her up coming album was going. She said that it's coming along well, but she's somewhat daunted about the amount of work that she's got to do. I went on to tell her that she is so appreciated by the Australian public, and how wonderful it is that she is doing this, and giving her fans a chance to meet her. She was as delightful, charming, and down to earth as I expected her to be. She chatted to me as if I was a lifelong friend, and never tried to rush any of the signees through. I was thrilled when at the end of the short, but special conversation, she said 'Merry Christmas to you Glen, and also to your family'.