Interview: Tiffany (80’s Pop Star Rolls with the Times Through Food and Music) -By: Rob Smittix

Photo By: Jason Miller

RRX: So, I just got to find a place where there’s no noise in the background for this recording. A nice quiet place. Okay, good. “I think we’re alone now!”

(Both laugh)

TD: It’s really starting to get chilly in Nashville. It’s like oh, we’re really doing this aren’t we? 

RRX: Well, I’m in Upstate New York, so yeah, I feel you. I apologize for my voice, even though you don’t know what it usually sounds like but this ain’t it. The bronchitis is long gone, now I’m just getting my voice back. Speaking of losing voices though… it was 1987 or 88 and you were supposed to be my first concert and of course I was in love with you. But… the concert got canceled I believe because you lost your voice. Now it kind of came full circle, I had to lose my voice to talk to you. 

TD: Wow, well I like it though, it sounds good. I like scratchy voices. Every time I lost my voice I thought I sounded like Demi Moore, you know? I was like ooh. 

(Both laugh)

TD: But it’s no fun for a vocalist, so you don’t want that. Lots of tea for you and vocal rest more than anything. 

RRX: When your show was canceled I was heartbroken.

TD: Aw. I’m so sorry, I don’t remember what happened. In the early days I did lose my voice here and there. But I learned that traveling a lot exhausts you or even just a full time schedule. I think I was just here and there so much and I was always traveling overseas. Now I’ve learned that your body goes through a lot. I sang a lot, We were doing a lot of gigs.

RRX: Oh bigtime, I can only imagine. I was so upset that I was crying and my Uncle Bill worked for The Palace Theatre, where you were going to perform so he pretended, I assume, that he could get you on the line to talk to me and make me feel better. Until this day I have no idea who actually was on the other end of the phone. But it did make me feel better. 

TD: Aw that was very sweet of him to think of that.

RRX: It was clever.

TD: But no, I don’t think it was me.

RRX: I highly doubt it, it doesn’t really work that way usually. So, it turns out that my first concert ended up being Stryper. 

TD: Oh, I love them. It’s funny because I used to go and see them in a garage in California, way back. Gosh, I think I was like 12. I wasn’t supposed to be there, but no harm went on. So, it was totally cool. My girlfriend, I think she was dating one of the guys, she was older than me. But I remember watching them rehearse, they were amazing. It was like my first and only time I got to be a kid, if you will? It wasn’t long after that I was touring the world, I didn’t get to even really hang out with my friends or anything.

RRX: It came pretty quick for you and I’m sure many people dream about that type of lifestyle, but it can’t all be cracked up to be what you’d assume it would be.

TD: Well, I mean you know? It’s life, it’s everything and then it’s all the same really. Life is life. You have marriages, divorces, problems, sicknesses and things, you’re human. The celebrity part is like you’re an open book especially nowadays. But I think if you embrace it, it’s okay to be human, it’s like the new album “Shadows” is all about chaos, transition, failure, success, love, heartbreak and all of the complexities of life. The good and the bad. A light in the dark. That’s sort of where my headspace has been and I think that’s part of riding the wave, especially with celebrity. If you can turn that into art, which for me writing my songs is therapy. 

RRX: Oh, I get that and ‘Shadows’ just came out a couple months ago. 

TD: It’s a more interactive album. You choose the cover, it’s very origami, it’s kind of pop-art, I love it! So definitely get the vinyl. Vinyls are cool. I remember collecting them, now I’m going back again, I wish I had my old vinyl.

RRX: You ain’t kidding. I noticed that you have quite a bit of a different sound now.

TD: Well, I think it’s more punk/pop, with a little wink, wink back to retro, which was fun but with very modern production now. So, it’s definitely something that holds weight now. I don’t want to say it’s the new Tiffany, it’s new music from me, it was meant to happen and this is what I’ve been working on. This is what I’ve been touring on. This is not a shocker for people who buy tickets and come and see me live in concert. The album is one of the best albums I think I’ve ever made. Vocally, I think it’s the best I’ve ever sung and as a songwriter it really pushed me as well. I’m telling my stories, my heartbreak, my failures, my successes again and all of it. I chose instead of being pissed off to just saying the truth and to be vulnerable again and that’s very hard, but it worked out good. 

RRX: It’s exciting! I also hear that you’re a pretty good cook.

TD: I’m a great cook! (Laughs) I am learning. I’m starting to build a real community, but I’ve been doing this since COVID but even before that I worked with The Food Network and different TV shows. So, once I put a resume together, I realized this has been happening for a while but during COVID it really kept me sane. It was a way to show my heart and to bond with my fans, so I started the cooking club and started sharing recipes. It’s really an awesome cooking club, it’s really personable. It is in my home, on the road or you can see band footage and things that you don’t normally see. The show’s very free flowing, it’s very organic and real. We talk, hang out and get to cook. I really love it. You can cook with me, or you can take the video and go back to it later.

But I can say I’m becoming a better cook because of all of these people. All of these wonderful people around me are influencing me and making me grow. Now I’m getting more dining events and to work with top chefs and celebrity chefs. I’m very proud that something that I love is really taking off and people are supporting it. I can’t wait for more fans to try my cooking! Music is my first love, but I definitely rock it out in my kitchen to my music and other people’s music. My cooking is really inspired by my travels, it’s about being on the road, meeting different people and experiencing different cultures.

I encourage people to come out and see me live, with all of the shows and appearances that we’re doing. 

Visit Tiffanytunes.com for more information on music and Let’s Food with Tiffany!