Shortly after the conclusion of 'Dynamite', Tina releases the first track of her debut solo album 'Strong As Steel'. Entitled 'I Need Your Body', it accompanies a revealing film clip that shows Tina in a raunchy rock-starlet persona with pouting lips and a bouncing cleavage. The film clip sparks a frenzy of media attention, with newspaper headlines proclaiming 'Tiny Tina Grows Up' (a headline that has been seen many times since!!!). The single sees Tina's first chart success as an adult solo singer, with the single shooting to number 2 on the charts, and becoming the second highest selling single for the year. Tina's first album 'Strong as Steel' is produced by another Australian music legend, Mike Brady. The album features songs written by Diane Warren and Stevie Wonder, and enjoys moderate success selling over 35,000 copies, and being certified Gold record status in Australia. Further singles from the album include 'The Machine's Breaking Down', 'Woman's Work', and the title track 'Strong As Steel'.

Tina then spends the next six months of her life touring the country, promoting the album. She appears at a number of Australia's clubs and pubs, on television and radio working with the record. Whilst the album allows the nation now sees Tina Arena as a woman and not a child, Tina has said in hindsight that; 

"...it was simple, I was so young and I think this album reflects my youth and not yet developed persona. Nevertheless, I am still very proud of what I achieved with this record".

Unhappy with the way her career is progressing, and the image that she has been forced to adopt, Tina temporarily relocates to the United States. She decides that she wants to write her own material, and thus writes in collaboration with some of the world's most renowned songwriters.

Tina takes a break from writing in September 1991 following the invitation to be Australia's representative at the Pan Pacific Festival's 'Women with Great Voices' showcase. The festival tours Japan and sees Tina singing alongside many world renowned female artists such as Chaka Khan. Tina returns home to work with her friend Rick Price on his debut album 'Heaven Knows', where she performs backing vocals, and sings the duet with Rick 'House Divided'. Tina spends a further month in Los Angeles writing material, and whilst she is there, teams up with Rick again at the 'Wizards of Oz' showcase, a concert that shows America the breath of talent in Australia. Tina is also said to have declined an offer to play the leading female role in the smash hit Australian movie 'Strictly Ballroom' around this time.

Tina arrives back in Australia in 1992, and spends the rest of the year writing with some of the nation's top songwriters for her forthcoming, and much anticipated second album. In late 1992, Tina takes another break from songwriting following the news that she has won prestigious role of the Narrator in the Australian production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'. The musical tells the biblical story of Joseph, and Tina's role involves telling much of the story through song.

 The musical opens in Melbourne on New Year's Eve in 1992, and travels to Brisbane and Sydney for a 10 month season. Tina receives rave reviews for her role in the musical; 

"Tina Arena's Narrator is faultlessly sung and strongly characterised"...."The Narrator's voice rings through the state theatre with the purity of a church bell".

Following the conclusion of Tina's involvement in the musical, she returns to LA and begins recording her second album. She works with American producer Dave Tyson, who has previously worked with Alannah Myles on her worldwide smash hit 'Black Velvet. Tyson says of Tina;

"The first thing that struck me immediately, as probably has most people who have heard Tina sing, that even at the demo stage, the first thing you notice, within the first eight bars, is her glorious voice, and her consonant skill as a singer. It was evident to me, as well as the great songs she presented, that first and foremost, it's probably one of the greatest voices that I've ever heard or worked with.

On August the 26^th, 1994, Tina releases the first single from her second album 'Chains'. The powerful song about the ecstasy of freedom is an immediate success, reaching number 4 on the Australian charts, and going Gold after just eight weeks. The song proves to be the breakthrough song that Tina needs, and marks her return to the Australian music scene, but this time as an independent and powerful performer. Tina mirrors this when discussing her breakthrough anthem; 

"I'd always had a great feeling about this song, from the minute Steve (Werfel), Pam (Reswick) and I began writing it. It very neatly marks a distinct personal and musical turn around in my life, a real watershed. It's about letting go of the past and looking forward to a positive future."

And indeed a positive future it was. On November the 11^th, 1994, Tina's eagerly awaited second album 'Don't Ask' is released. Within four weeks, the album is certified Gold, and it wins adulation and praise from both fans and critics alike; 

"Tina's voice is a revelation these days - it's clean, true and expressive. It's her voice that gives this album its identity."

Tina then travels Australia promoting the album. She appears on numerous television programs, and at many live venues, including Melbourne's Festival Hall, where she performs songs from the album. Other performances include closing the 1994 Australian Music Awards with an amazing performance of 'Chains', and singing at Carols by Candlelight before an audience of over 2 million people on Christmas Eve.

At the beginning of 1995, Tina releases the second single from the album, her "personal favourite" 'Sorrento Moon'. The single is quickly certified Gold status, and helps the album to reach Platinum status (70,000 units). This coincides with Tina's performance at the Men's Final of the Australian Open, where she performs 'Waltzing Matilda' to a worldwide audience of 70 million people. Tina then travels to Europe in April to promote the international release of 'Chains' and 'Don't Ask'. 'Chains' is released in England amid a fury of media hype and attention, and results in Tina performing the hit on the immortal 'Top of the Pops' program. The single reaches number 6 on the UK charts, and also reaches the top 10 in Ireland and Holland.

Meanwhile, the third single 'Heaven Help My Heart' is released in Australia in May, and reaches number 22 on the charts. The single's release helps the album reach 4 times platinum sales (280,000 units)!! This initiates a busy 6 months for Tina which includes the release of the popular ballad 'Wasn't it Good' as the album's 4^th single.

Tina also finds time to work with Rick Price on his second album 'Tambourine Mountain', where she sings the duet 'Trust Me This Is Love'. In September 1995, Tina continues her busy performance calender, and is invited to perform at the opening of the Australian Football League's (AFL) Grand Final; "Walking out onto the arena was torture, but as soon as I got the chance to sing.... I was fine". Tina sings acoustic versions of both the Australian National Anthem, and the traditional patriotic song 'Waltzing Matilda' to an adoring crowd, and a worldwide audience of 60 million people. She is also happy to see the team she supports in the AFL, Carlton win on the big day.

The following Monday, Tina travels to Sydney for the Australian Record Industry Association Awards (The ARIA's). Always displaying her down to earth and modest persona, Tina said of the occasion;

"While I knew I had a few nominations, I really didn't think I had a chance of winning so many". 

Voted by her peers, Tina wins 'Best Pop Release (Chains)', 'Song of the Year (Chains), 'Female Artist of the Year', and the prestigious 'Album of the Year', becoming the first female to do so. When Tina wins her 'Album of the Year' award, she jumps from her seat, and yells "Yes....that's the one I was waiting for". Her euphoric win finally puts to doubts and fears that Tina may have had since leaving her childhood stardom behind. The Australian media joined in the applause of Tina's ARIA success, with headlines reading 'Tina's Rock Triumph', and 'Our New Pop Diva'.

Tina then travels back to Melbourne for the start of her very first national tour. She performs to sell-out venues across Australia for almost three months; "When I began this project three years ago, I never dreamed that in such a short space of time, I would be preparing for my own national tour."

Like most Tina Arena performances, she receives extreme critical acclaim;

"...a gifted rock music-artist with a big belting voice; a wide eyed eargarness to please; and a direct communicative style.a world class rocker'.

Supported by the tour, and the publicity it receives from the ARIA awards, 'Don't Ask reaches the #1 position on the Australian charts - exactly one year after it is released. In December, the album reaches seven times platinum (490,000 units) and becomes the highest selling album for 1995. Due to overwhelming demand, Tina performs three more concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on her 'encore' tour. Furthermore, Tina is voted the Variety Club Entertainer of the Year, and goes into the record books as the highest selling female artist in Australian history. 

Tina ends an exhausting year with a bang, when she marries her long time partner, friend and manager Ralph Carr. Whilst Tina and Ralph remain unanimous in their desire to have the event kept private, the wedding attracts a swam of media attention outside the church.  Tina continues her busy performance calender into the New Year, when she performs at an Australia Day concert at Sydney's Domain gardens before an audience of over 60,000 people, and a television audience of 2.5 million people. This coincides with the certification that 'Don't Ask' has reached 8 times platinum sales. A fifth single is also released from the smash hit album 'That's the Way a Woman Feels'.

Tina then embarks on a promotional tour to the United States. The first single, 'Chains' is released at the beginning of 1996 in America, and enjoys respectable airplay in the US, being one of the most added songs to radio in American music history. 'Chains' reaches number 38 on the Billboard charts and enjoys moderate success in an extremely competitive market. 'Don't Ask' fails to do well on the American charts, reaching 142 on the billboard 200 charts. Tina also releases a cover of 'Show Me Heaven' in the US as the album's second single, which is produced by Peter Asher.

In May, 1996 Tina continues her worldwide assault on the music industry when is presented with the 'World Best Selling Australian Artist' at the 'World Music Awards' in Monaco. At the ceremony, she performs her smash hit 'Chains' before a star-studded audience of some of the world's most influential in the music business, including Celine Dion and Diana Ross. Tina often talks about the thrill that it was to meet Ross, one of her lifelong idols; 

"That woman was probably one of the most instrumental artists in giving me a great sense of music. When I met her in Monte Carlo, I said 'Miss Ross' - I was a little bit frightened to call her Diana - and she was really cool, she said 'I know who you are, you're that girl that sings Chains. What a fine, fine voice.' What can I say? When you're respected by your peers, you can't ask for anything greater."

 

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