Interview With '80s Pop Star Idol
Tiffany Darwish
June 4th, 2020 • Interview #164
©Pal Hansen
Metal Pulp And Paper: Hello Tiffany. So glad to be catching up with you. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us here at Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it. First off, how are you doing? 2020 has started to be quite the year, how are you holding up during this COVID-19 pandemic?
Tiffany Darwish: I am doing good thank you. It's a pretty scary time with the uncertainty of it all. But I am focusing on staying healthy and positive.
MPAP: Before we talk about your new music that's coming out soon, let's continue with the coronavirus pandemic subject for a moment. Other than being a musician and you not being able to go out on tour, for who knows how long, in what other ways has this virus affected you, or even affected someone that's close to you
Tiffany: Not going on my tour, it's been rough. I was excited to get back out there, sharing my music with my fans. However, this has given me time to launch my cooking club, which is exciting. There is a lot to do, and it's really taking off. It's also given me the time to take care of myself. I've been meditating more, eating healthy and getting some sleep.
MPAP: Are you the type that can't be locked down for a very long period of time? Have the four walls surrounding you, closed in on you very fast during this quarantine?
Tiffany: Well, I spent 30 years touring so staying in one place for a long time is unusual for me. It's not been too bad. I am stuck out on the west coast in an AirBnb because I can't get to my new place in New Orleans due it being a hot spot for Covid-19.
MPAP: Now let's talk about your new digital release that's came out May 22nd. It's a stripped-down EP called Pieces Of Me: Unplugged. It features three acoustic songs from your previous album, and then a demo titled "You're Everything" from your forthcoming album titled Shadows. So, tell us a little bit about the new unplugged EP, and also tell us about Shadows, and what your fans can expect?
Tiffany: This is by far, my favorite album. It's more of the raw and vulnerable side of me. I dug deep and opened myself up to my fans. It's about pain, and love. I feel that everyone can relate to these songs.
MPAP: What do you want to say to the music fans and music critics out there to give your Shadows a chance? How are you going to sell this album to the hard rocker fans out there that may only really remember you from your hit song "I Think We're Alone Now" that came out in 1987?
Tiffany: I would say, just give it a listen. You really will love it. It has a retro rock sound. The band, producer and I have worked really hard. So, give it a chance...
MPAP: It's a title you may have forever, pop star, but some might not know you were into hair bands. So, are we talking like the 80s, early 90s hair metal bands like Cinderella, Britney Foxx, Poison, Ratt, and even Motley Crue?
Tiffany: Oh yes! I love those bands.
MPAP: Do you feel the music reflected in Shadows could be something you've had inside for a long time? After your parents divorced, you lived with your father, which eventually had you rebelling against his strict Baptist parenting. And while you were in High School, you and your friends behaved in a way that contravened the school's regulations, did this perhaps have some influence? Is this where the harder punk rock rebellion might have inspired you and this album?
Tiffany: Oh absolutely. I've always been a rocker; I just made my living in pop. Plus working with my producer Mark Alberici who is in a rock/punk band and from London has put more of an edge in my music.
MPAP: Your musical career suffered as your musical tastes changed in the early 1990s. You steered away from your usual dance-pop sound and dove headfirst into the rock and rap side of the music world. Some people don't like changes, especially in musical directions. Do you feel Shadows could shock some of your fans into not liking it?
Tiffany: Oh no, my fans are really the best fans on earth. They have been with me since I was 14. They are incredibly loyal and supportive of everything I do. My new music is giving my fans a deeper look into Tiffany. These songs came from the depths of my soul.
MPAP: Are you hoping the critics will say it's one of the year's biggest surprises? In a way, are you hoping this is the 'middle finger' to the world or even the music industry out there letting everyone know that you are for real and can be taken seriously, not just as a pop music star?
Tiffany: I hope so! I think if they listen to this album, they will see that I can write great songs. I am known in Nashville as an established songwriter and I know this new album will show the world that as well.
MPAP: Going back to the rebellious side of you, do you feel that you posing for Playboy magazine in 2002 was part of that?
Tiffany: I get asked about Playboy a lot, which is cool because I am very proud of that shoot. It wasn't completely about being rebellious, more about showing the world that I wasn't that 14-year-old mall girl anymore. Don't get me wrong; I appreciated that mall girl, which is what started me off in an amazing career that I am so grateful for.
MPAP: Before we bring this interview to a close. You said you are adamant about getting back on the road when it's safe to do so, so, what can your fans expect when the time is right, and it's ok to go to a live music show. What do you have planned? Anything you can mention here?
Tiffany: There's is a lot of meetings and communication in regard to what is the best way to handle live shows moving forward. Everyone's safety is what is most important. Does that mean smaller venues? Taking temperatures? I don't know, I just think we will have to rely on what the experts say. I guess, we all will have to wait and see.
MPAP: On behalf of myself, and Metal Pulp And Paper, I'd like to thank you, Tiffany, for doing this interview. We look forward to the new studio release, and everything else you do in 2020 and beyond. Any last words for all your fans out there?
Tiffany: I really want to thank all my fans for standing by me all these years. You all are truly amazing and I am super excited for you all to be a part of this new music. I can't wait to see everyone. Stay safe!