Taylor Dayne

‘Diva Porch Thoughts’

During the 80s as many teenagers spent hours trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube, we began to welcome American artists into our lounge rooms during what music historians describe as the MTV generation.

As the world watched Michael Jackson reinvent himself whilst Cyndi Lauper ‘she bopped’ and called out to girls around the globe to just have fun, the unique vocal style of Long Island’s Taylor Dayne first hit our airwaves and television sets.

Taylor remains one of music's most dynamic artists of all time having earned numerous best-selling gold and platinum albums, which produced seventeen Top 20 singles with number 1 hits such as ‘Tell It To My Heart’, ‘Love Will Lead You Back’ and ‘Prove Your Love To Me.’

During the course of her career, Taylor has sold more than 75 million albums and singles worldwide, garnered three Grammy nominations and appeared in many film, television, and Broadway stage roles such as Elton John's, Aida.

At 51 years-of-age, Taylor doesn’t seem to be slowing and last year was inducted into the LI Hall of Fame, alongside other Long Island legends including Billy Joel, Pat Benatar and Lou Reed. Ahead of arriving to Australia, I learnt that apart from being born with the gift to sing, her career took direction after stopping on the Westline Highway in her late teens.

I understand that you are close by your Porch in your home in LA. What can you see?

I am looking at my Porch from my living room; I have French doors that open to my backyard where I have a little gazebo and a couple of ivy plants growing with a fountain by my pool. It's very green and the sun is just starting to go down.

You were born in New York and moved from the Bronx to Long Island with your family when you were two years-of age. Where did your love of music stem from?

I was a very aspiring rock star by five years-of-age and you could ask me anything about music. All I ever wanted to be was a rock star. My father gave me my first radio and my parents always played music, especially on Sundays as it was considered a family day.

Were your parents artistic?

My parents were avid theatre goers and members of very interesting theatre companies. They took us to a lot of bizarre theatre as well as magical theatre and Broadway - I was very exposed to the arts.

Did you always want to be rock star?

By kindergarten I started performing solos with the Glee Club which was usually just for third grade students. For me, it was literally having a voice but I was very shy on some levels. My voice was an expressive tool and a way to be good at something, excel and to be the best.

Were you classically trained?

I learnt by ear, just listening to musicians and vocalists. I just emulated voice after voice and in the 70s it could be anything from Aretha Franklin to Karen Carpenter to Joni Mitchell to Al Green and to Bill Withers. These artists all had hit records and were all played on Top 40 radio programs.

How did your first hit song ‘Tell it to my Heart’ come about?

When I was 19, I was driving along the Westline Highway and saw my high school friend Ric Wake walking. I pulled over and we started talking about trying to get a record deal. I was working with an English producer friend and working in a nightclub in Brooklyn at the time, and Ric had a friend working at Warner Chapel who sent us a cassette with four songs on it. Ric loved ‘Tell it to my Heart’ so we borrowed $6,000 from my Dad and hoped we could get a label interested so I could pay my Dad back.

When do you feel your voice was becoming a stand-alone on the world stage?

In 1988, ‘I'll Always Love You’ really turned it around for me as a vocalist where I really started breaking away from the pack. We thought it would be a one hit wonder, then we had two hits, then we had three hits, then the song led me to be nominated for an R&B vocal and Grammys. It was a big record for me and is still in the Top 20 wedding songs of all time.

Your second album ‘Can't Fight Fate’ was massive around the world and in a way, your songs became more soulful with hits such as ‘Love Will Lead you Back’ and ‘I'll be Your Shelter.’ Did you feel these songs started portraying the artist you wanted to be?

‘Can't Fight Fate’ had a lot of impact on me as I started developing into my womanhood. The songs were sleek and the big video producers such as David Finch came forward and that’s when I went very blonde and really owning my power. Diane Warren started writing more for me with songs that were more soulful, more passionate and I had more rock influence in my voice.

From a recording artist’s point of view, what was it like being handed Diane’s portfolio of songs to listen to?

Diane is one of the most tenacious songwriters I've ever met, she believes in her music and her songs have stood the test of time. President of Aritsa Records, Clive Davis, played me ‘Love Will Lead you Back’ and our jaws dropped. It was just that breathtaking and an incredible song.

You've appeared in Broadways, films and reality television programs. How did you get into films?

Warren Beatty saw me performing on the Jay Leno Show in 1994 and called my management to ask if I was interested in auditioning for his remake of ‘Love Affair.’ I was looking at myself more expansively and hoping I could act and could draw from my creativity. I challenged myself and started taking lessons, but it was scary sitting there next to Annette Benning and Warren.

You went on to appear in several films and also did a lot of stage productions including performed on Broadway in Elton John's Aida in 2001. Will we see you in more Broadway shows?

I'm actually back on the stage in September performing in the musical CATS, which I'm pretty excited about.

What will we expect to see at your shows in Melbourne?

My songs are kind of the soundtrack of people's lives, so I'll play a lot of my hits and some songs from my latest album Satisfy and also perform songs that I love. I just love Melbourne and I have wonderful friends there and enjoy dinner with them in their homes when I tour.

What is your Porch Thought For The Day?

“While winding down and putting your feet up, reflect on the day and take a deep breath and let your cares melt away.”

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