American pop icon Tiffany speaks to FW:

Tiffany Darwish, the pop star of the 1980s, was born in the United States in October 1971. In 1981, she had her first public performance with a band at a country nightspot. She passed her hat around afterward and collected $235, leading her stepfather to realize that her singing could be a source of family in-come. In 1982, she toured several clubs in Alaska, earning $3,000, and debuted with her first album Tiffany, released by MCA Records, in 1987. That summer, while at-tending high school, she did a highly publicized mall tour in the US, earning coverage in People Magazine. By this time, her ground-breaking hit “I Think We’re Alone Now,” became the second-most-re-quested song on local radio. MCA Records was finally convinced to release this song as a single, after much resistance on the grounds that they were not “into” the Tiffany project. On September 26, 1987, “I Think We’re Alone Now” debuted on the Billboard singles chart and stayed there for 13 weeks. She debuted on the Bill-board album chart, and the album Tiffany reached the #1 spot. One month later, she appeared on “Tonight Show” and by November 1987, her hit single knocked Michael Jackson’s “Bad” off the charts. Her other song “Could’ve been” debuted in December 1987, staying on the pop singles chart for 14 weeks. It reached #1 on the Billboard chart in February 1988. In November 1988, her second album, “Hold An Old Friend’s Hand” was released in the US and one of its songs, “All this time” stayed on the charts for 14 weeks, peaking at #6. One year later, she toured Japan, Manila, Malaysia, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Korea. She got back to the US in June1989, just in time for her high school graduation. Also in 1989, Tiffany did the voice of Judy Jetson in the “Jetsons” movie, singing three songs for its soundtrack. The movie was released in July 1990. In December 1989, Tiffany releases her new song “Here is my Heart” with a dedication to US troops in the Persian Gulf. She released other songs in the 1990s, which failed to meet her previous success, but made a comeback in 2005 with her new album “Dust off and Dance.”

Let us talk about your latest CD, “Dust off and Dance” that was released in 2005. Some have described it as your finest album yet. Do you agree? Critics have said that your music has matured over the years, yet fans seem to prefer the music of the 1980s. Is that correct?

I think most of my fans are growing with me so I think they are very appreciative of the new music. The 80s, however, are what started my career. Songs like “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Could’ve been” are near and dear to our hearts. I definitely sing those songs during my live shows and am very proud that they are my hits. As an artist, however, you have to grow and make new music, hoping that people will grow with you and like your new work. I have been really lucky that people have an open mind and allowed me to do rock-based stuff in one album, and then come out with a dance album. My fans have always been saying: ‘Go back to dance music. We really want you to do dance music’ but my new album, coming out here in America on June 5 is more of a singer-songwriter style. I have

lipped back into the singer-songwriter theme, but always have had a foot in each market.

Does the teen image imprinted in people’s mind, of Tiffany in the 1980s, bother you? Obviously it made you the star you are today. But are you tired of it? Twenty years on, are you tired of “I Think We’re Alone Now?”

No, I am not tired of it. On the contrary, I think it is really healthy. Let’s put it this way: it’s a nice problem to have such success and be able to do something I have always wanted to do with music. I was just a little girl (in the 1980s) going around my living room saying: ‘I want to be a singer. I want to have a band!’ You have to be thankful for having your dreams come true. I definitely don’t try to run away from it. I do a lot of 80s music out here in America and in England. I am very proud to be part of the 80s. Some of the greatest music came out of the 80s. There was just a different feel with that kind of music. I think that a lot of the dance music of today is just so sexual; it’s all about the video clips. The 80s music was really about a great beat—great music. It didn’t really make sense sometimes (what we were singing). We weren’t trying to make a big statement; it was really lighthearted. We just got up, danced, and had fun. I am really grateful to be part of something like that.

In the mid-1990s you moved to Nashville to try your luck as a country artist but never released any country music. Why was that?

Yes, I did move to Nashville but didn’t really record any country music. I wrote some music and did some demos, but I did not want to become a country artist, although I had a country background and started out with country music. My real passion is for contemporary pop music, with the opportunity to crossover. When I went to Nashville it was really for the art of songwriting. If you want to write a proper song, that’s really the place to go. I spent three years there, taking notes, going to showcases, and watching writers finding my own confidence. I then moved back to Los Angeles and I think that I really needed that time to get more confidence, go back to California, and say: ‘Okay, now I know what I am doing when it comes to writing a song.’ I am not going to necessarily write country music but I now know the basics of being a song-writer. It was really a great experience for me.

How do you choose your lyrics? How do you choose the music?

I write from experience, heartbreak, family, and what my friends are going through. I just write what is real.

Whose opinion do you take in the creative process? Family? Friends? Who are the people who advise Tiffany on the music she performs?

I definitely look towards friends and family because I play to them while we are in the creative process. But usually I collaborate with one or two partners. I try to get a little creative with the lyrics that I write. I work with a lot of great songwriters who push me forward. We might write the first line, keep it for a little while, but as we go along, go back to it to think of more creative ways of saying it, and getting a little deeper emotionally.

Music making, or at least pop-music, is no longer only about art. It is an industry that needs marketing, PR, dynamic management and planning. My question is, in such a fast-paced business, what makes for a successful hit? What makes for a long-lasting one?

There are many songs that are great for the minute. Are they classics? I wouldn’t call them classics. Most things on pop radio right now are ‘for the moment.’ I think that Avril Lavigne is a great songwriter; she wrote “Breakaway.” I think that is a classical song that will be around ten years from now. You will hear it on Karaoke, and radios will still be playing it. I think it is one of those timeless songs. I get really excited when I hear songs like that because I really appreciate well-writ-ten songs and great talent.

It also seems that when it comes to pop-music, the talent and the voice have taken a backseat to other aspects, such as the glamour, the image, and the music videos. Do you agree with that?

I agree with that 100%.

How does someone like you, who has a great voice and was once described as the ‘next Barbara Streisand’ relate to that? Does it make you angry that while you are a much more talented singer, others may be more famous be-cause of the videos and the PR associated with modern pop culture? Flashy videos, outfits, and make-up might cover up for a mediocre performer’s lousy voice, but not for someone like Tiffany.

That’s exactly how I feel. I often feel like I am a rebel saying: ‘I don’t really have to do that—the half a million dollar video— just let me sing.’ But in today’s market that’s really not what it is about. It’s about the video, how skinny you are, and what great hair and make-up you are wearing. I tried to play that game for a while and it drove me nuts, because I am not that kind of artist. I have settled down for the singer-songwriter theme. I love where my career is at now. I have taken a differ-ent approach and it seems to be working. I do a lot of live shows and keep myself out there on the road. If you want to be a major success in today’s market, however, you have to play the game and be kind of like a Barbie doll.

Your album “Dreams never die” was only released in Asia in 1993 and not in the US or other parts of the world. Why is that?

That is something that usually the label has control of, and as an artist, you just pull your hair out! We really don’t have control. The fans are asking for some-thing and I just don’t have the ability to give it to them. As an artist there are limitations. For the last couple of years, I have managed myself and had my own record company. Now I signed with a label that has distribution from Universal (Productions). I know that there will be grey areas but it is nice to be working with a label once again because as an artist, its difficult to manage yourself, and at the same time, be in the ‘business-mode,’ especially if you have had a hard day (on the management side) and then later that night, have to do a show. Sometimes I just like being the artist.

With regard to “Dreams never die” I would like to ask is it true that dreams never die, or do they, as we grow?

I don’t know if dreams die—we just change them a little bit—which is not bad. Sometimes we don’t have the vision, and as we grow older and get other things in our life, we either have the confidence to complete our dreams, or change them. One thing that I learned about life is ‘change’ and as a person, you are always changing. In my case there are things that stuck with me all of my life that I probably will not change. But there are so many other interests that I have developed that I wouldn’t have imagined in the past.

And will they change, let’s say, in the next 10-years?

I think I am going to get more involved in charity. I was always the kind of person who would sing for a cause, or sign an autograph, but now I am actually attending the functions. My uncle just passed away from cancer. And also, being 35 and seeing so many people die from disease, has really affected me. I am not invincible and as a celebrity I can really be much more involved in charity. I think that this is something that is going to grow in me. It makes me feel good about myself as a per-son. I don’t want to say it’s an ‘obligation’ as a celebrity, but we are definitely lucky to have lots of great things and should be able to give back to community and people who are having hardships in life. That is probably what we should be doing.

On Saturday mornings. That’s when I make pancakes (not anymore because I am watching my weight!). But that is a big day in my house because I make break-fast and have a two hour music-listening session where I listen to Arabic, folk, Spanish, and Irish music. I love all types of music and learn a lot from them. I may not understand every word but it’s about the sounds. When I listen to Arabic music, I learn so much. I try to teach my son to be very open-minded and respect all culture and music because it truly is universal and unites people.

Who is your son’s favorite pop idol? Does he listen to Tiffany?

Oh no. He isn’t into pop music. He is a big fan of Oasis.

I heard that you have Syrian origins. Would you tell us a bit about that?

My family is from a village in what is to-day Lebanon. My uncle is from Damascus. He is from Syria.

Do you speak Arabic, and have you ever visited the region?

I have been to Dubai and Bahrain. I have never had the chance, however, to go and stay there. My family has property there and they travel back and forth. I have a lot of family in Michigan. A small group, who have all passed away now, moved to California. So it’s just me and my first cousins. We get together, make food, and listen to Arabic music. On my Dad’s side they speak Arabic. They actually taught themselves because the elders did not teach them. A couple of my cousins even went to school (to learn Arabic) for their business. I am so envious of them. I really wanted to learn, and am training myself to sing in Arabic. When it comes to music, I can pick up things quickly, but can’t re-ally tell what I am singing (when it comes to Arabic). There are certain words that I know right away, and go back to my books to and out for others. When my grandmother was alive she would call me for dinner and say things that I immediately understood. I just caught on. Now I know just enough to be a little bit nosy.

Do you have a favorite Middle Eastern artist? Fayruz, and the lady with the white hand-kerchief, Um Kalthoum. I got all of her tapes from my grandmother when she passed away. My cousin would say: ‘You have to study her. She is IT (in Arabic music).’ She is in my car. She is in my office. I just love her music. Do you think you had a lot, so much, so soon? I think so. I have been touring and working since I was nine years old. I have gotten to know a lot about the music industry, not just about being on stage, but everything that comes with it, from the outfits, to finances, and singing. It’s all about being a businesswoman. I think I am very much like my grandmother. She ran a bar in Detroit. Her parents passed away, and then my grandfather passed away from tuberculosis. She was a great example of how to be a lady, have a business mind, and be a survivor. Arm yourself, and go out there to do what you have to do.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

My biggest accomplishment is my son. He has brought me the most joy in life and I take being a parent very seriously. I think that he is the biggest fulfillment. My goal is to make him a very functional, great person who respects people. I want him to be a good husband and father. With regard to other aspects, I am a go-getter in life so there are a lot of things that I still want to do. I want to create my own clothing boutique, in addition to other things outside the music industry. I love fashion and ‘one-of-a-kind’ items. I live in Orange County, California, and we definitely can do with ‘one-of-a-kind items’ and boutiques. I hope to be opening that within the next year. I had experiences at Holly-wood events where you show up with a beautiful gown, and ind that somebody else is wearing it. That’s not exactly what you planned for the evening! So when I go into the fashion business I can feel more comfortable that I am wearing what nobody else is wearing.

If you could re-live your life, what would you change? Do you have any professional regrets?

There were things I was totally wrong about and thank God I didn’t have my way in them. I wasn’t crazy about “I Think We’re Alone Now” and didn’t want to re-cord it. That would have killed my fate right there. I only wish people would have listened to me more about fashion and change when it comes to young people. When I had “I Think We’re Alone Now” it was okay to have no make-up on, and just be wearing jeans and a T-shirt. The corner turned when other artists like Paula Abdul and Madonna came out. I didn’t think I needed to rise to that level, but a nice transition would have been good for me. I really didn’t have any stylists involved or hair and make-up people. The late 80s were a turning point into what we have now, where it is all about hair, make-up, and videos. There was a great opportunity where you could be ‘middle-of-the-road.’ I don’t think I took advantage of it during my career. I would also like to go back into playing small parts in movies—that’s how I started, as an actress. I am not looking for an actress career, however, but would like to try my hand at it again.

Finally, if Forward Magazine were to invite you to Damascus this summer, would you come?

I will definitely take you up for that—yes, of course I would. Thank you.