Editing Tina Arena (section)

===''Young Talent Time'' years===
Arena received singing lessons from Voila Ritchie who recommended her to appear on a television talent quest and variety show, ''[[Young Talent Time]]'', an Australian weekly television variety program produced by Lewis-Young Productions and screened on [[Network Ten]].<ref name="talking heads"/>

When Arena was selected to appear on ''Young Talent Time'' in 1974,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/tina-arena-sings-abba-whitney-houston-young-talent-time | title=Tina Arena sings ABBA, Whitney Houston: Young Talent Time | date=28 May 2022 | access-date=25 May 2022 | archive-date=27 September 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927035217/https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/tina-arena-sings-abba-whitney-houston-young-talent-time | url-status=dead }}</ref> the producers at Lewis-Young Productions and Network Ten asked her to change her first name from Filippina to "Tina"—creating her stage name, "Tina Arena"—so as to be more relatable to the wider national audience.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCc7Wxw8QpIC&q=Now+I+Can+Dance | title=Now I Can Dance | isbn=978-1460700082 | last1=Arena | first1=Tina | date=14 October 2013 | publisher=HarperCollins Australia }}</ref><ref name="themusic.com.au"/> In the mid-1970s, there was a minority of ethnic diversity represented in the Australian mainstream media, especially on primetime television.<ref name="themusic.com.au"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-services/programs-policy/a-multicultural-australia/programs-and-publications/1995-global-cultural-diversity-conference-proceedings-sydney/political-aspects-of-diversity/political-aspects-of-diversity-social|title=Political Aspects of Diversity – Social Justice in a Changing Australia &#124; Department of Social Services, Australian Government|website=Dss.gov.au|access-date=12 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001142531/https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-services/programs-policy/a-multicultural-australia/programs-and-publications/1995-global-cultural-diversity-conference-proceedings-sydney/political-aspects-of-diversity/political-aspects-of-diversity-social|archive-date=1 October 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Initially appearing as a ''Young Talent Time'' contestant in 1974, Arena went on to permanently join the cast as a regular member of the show's Young Talent Team in 1976. She then quickly, and affectionately, became known on the show by her nickname "Tiny Tina".<ref name="talking heads"/><ref name="ReferenceD"/><ref name="McFarlane">{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | author-link1 = Ian McFarlane | title = [[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop]] | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Tina Arena' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040803084057/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=39 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=39 | access-date = 27 October 2015 | year = 2000 | publisher = [[Allen & Unwin]] | location = [[St Leonards, New South Wales|St Leonards, NSW]] | archive-date = 3 August 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 }}</ref><ref name="big talent time">{{cite web | url = http://mmmmusic.tripod.com/bigtalenttime.htm | title = Tina Arena's Big Talent Time | last = de Brito | first = Kate | publisher = Mmmmusic.tripod.com |access-date=22 July 2013}}</ref> For her first appearance she performed [[ABBA]]'s "[[Ring Ring (ABBA song)|Ring Ring]]".<ref name="big talent time"/>

As a core member of the Young Talent Team performing live on Australian national television each week, Arena sang cover versions of popular music tracks. In 1977, she released a [[split album]], ''[[Tiny Tina and Little John]]'', alternating tracks with fellow Young Talent Team member, John Bowles.<ref name="Adams 1">{{cite news | url = http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/australian-singer-tina-arena-speaks-frankly-about-youth-and-the-obsession-with-the-selfie-culture/story-e6frfn09-1227502883447 | title = Australian singer Tina Arena speaks frankly about youth and the obsession with the selfie culture | last = Adams | first = Cameron | publisher = [[News Corp Australia]] | date = 2 September 2015 | access-date = 27 October 2015 | archive-date = 1 November 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151101021051/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/australian-singer-tina-arena-speaks-frankly-about-youth-and-the-obsession-with-the-selfie-culture/story-e6frfn09-1227502883447 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

As a member of the Young Talent Team, Arena appeared in TV specials, in TV commercials, at shopping centres and on tourist venues.<ref name="Flynn">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51191538 |title=Sydney Spree for Young Talent Team | last = Flynn | first = Greg | newspaper = [[The Australian Women's Weekly]] | date = 22 October 1980 | access-date = 27 October 2015 | page = 10 Supplement: Your TV Magazine | publisher = [[National Library of Australia]] }}</ref> In September 1982, she became a "coach" for new team members, [[Dannii Minogue|Danielle Minogue]] and Mark McCormack; Arena told ''[[The Australian Women's Weekly]]''{{'}}s [[Debra Byrne|Debbie Byrne]] that "They seem to be settling down a lot quicker than I did. They both have a really professional attitude."<ref name="Byrne">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52250982 | title = Here's ''Young Talent Time''{{'}}s Newest Arrivals | last = Byrne | first = Debbie | newspaper = The Australian Women's Weekly | date = 22 September 1982 | access-date = 27 October 2015 | page = 179 | publisher = National Library of Australia }}</ref> At 14, she told Byrne "my aim: to be a recording artist and actress but, now, I have to concentrate simply on what I'm doing and that can take enough effort."<ref name="Byrne 2">{{cite news | url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44525291 | title = The two faces of talented Tina | last = Byrne | first = Debbie | newspaper = The Australian Women's Weekly | date = 13 October 1982 | access-date = 27 October 2015 | page = 65 | publisher = National Library of Australia }}</ref>

Arena left the ''Young Talent Time'' show in October 1983, ahead of her 16th birthday, due to the Network Ten ''Young Talent Time'' series age-limit contract stipulation to give way for younger members. Arena performed the songs "[[The Way We Were (song)|The Way We Were]]" and "[[MacArthur Park (song)|MacArthur Park]]" for her finale set on her farewell ''Young Talent Time'' episode. Arena starred in ''Young Talent Time'' from 1976 to 1983—making her the show's longest-serving cast member.<ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref name="Williamson"/>

Arena completed her [[Higher School Certificate (Victoria)|Higher School Certificate]] (final year of secondary school) and was hired as an insurance clerk; however, she resigned after three months to pursue a music career.<ref name="Williamson">{{cite web | first = Derek | last = Williamson | url = http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Tina-Arena-Biography/443777B8DAAC213E4825697B000E9147 | title = Tina Arena Biography | publisher = Sing365.com | access-date = 22 July 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130709114345/http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Tina-Arena-Biography/443777B8DAAC213E4825697B000E9147 | archive-date = 9 July 2013 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Speaking at her [[BIGSOUND]] keynote address in 2017, Arena described her childhood to teenage experience on ''Young Talent Time'' as an inclusive apprenticeship into the television light-entertainment and musical industry in Australia, Arena noted:

<blockquote>It was 40 years ago and there were no ethnic faces on [Australian] television. It was an extraordinary apprenticeship. Young Talent Time was inclusive and welcoming. The only downside of Young Talent Time was when I was trying to transition to an adult.<ref name="themusic.com.au"/></blockquote>