Renowned entertainer Tina Cross chats about her career highlights, her upcoming show 'Nothing But Dreams!' with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and shares her tips for her boundless energy and svelte figure...

You’ve had huge successes and achievements throughout your career – what stands out as one of the highlights for you.

Singing the winning entry, Nothing But Dreams in the Pacific Song Contest in 1979, was certainly a huge career highlight. It not only turned the girl next door into a household name, it was also my point of no return as an entertainer/performer. After the Song Contest, I was in the business of show business to stay and to this day I have never had another job.

You have an amazing figure and seemingly endless energy – can you let us in on the secret to maintaining your figure and your youthful spirit?

Believe it or not, I find it a constant battle to maintain a disciplined diet and level of exercise. I see the signs quickly when I am not in a position to eat my preferred diet, due mainly to traveling or being in holiday mode (like Christmas time). I have set supplements that I swear by and I’m always on the look out for new health breakthroughs. I’m absolutely pedantic about good skincare and good oral hygiene and I find that when I get to that point on the scales of – that’s it!!, I will immediately go into my 5 day face lift diet. This is not counting calories, it simply cuts out certain foods and it always works for me. My favorite exercise is Body Balance and Body Jam classes and while I am traveling I have my own set of hotel room exercises. I try to fit in regular walking and I’m a housework freak - anything that gets a sweat up is a good thing! As far as energy goes, good rest is a given and ladies, once you are in the peri-menopause or menopause stage, check your hormones and give your body back some of it’s youth in the form of natural hormone replacement.

You’ve worked all over the world and with some very big names in the music industry – who have you worked with and who did you most enjoy collaborating with?

I’ve worked with, Sammy Davis Jnr, Tom Jones, Meatloaf, The Village People, to name a few. Sammy was the most memorable as he was keen to get to know me and find out about my hopes and dreams. It wasn’t a collaboration but it was genuine interest from a master entertainer. That was very special and it taught me that we experienced entertainers have a duty to our up and coming performers. Namely, pass it on!

Is there anyone that you would really like to perform with?

It would have been a blast to perform with Pavarotti but at the other end of the scale it would also be incredible to perform with Mick Jagger!

With your career spanning over 30 years now, what advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in the entertainment industry?

Surround yourself with the right people – positive, motivating and those who genuinely care about you. Prepare, prepare, prepare – muscle memory is your aim, and then you can be brilliant and enjoy every minute of it (performance that is).

Tell us about Nothing But Dreams with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra…

I have always wanted to perform with the NZSO – it is more than a dream. It is also very special to be in the wonderful hands of Carl Doy, conductor, arranger and pianist. It will be 30 years since Carl and I represented NZ in the Pacific Song Contest and it is an honour to re-visit Nothing But Dreams with the NZSO.  I firmly believe that Carl and I are like a good red wine – definitely better with age!

NZSO with Tina Cross in Nothing But Dreams!

The NZSO starts the year with an exciting upbeat night of popular music with NZ’s own diva of pop, rock and soul Tina Cross, for one night only in Auckland!

In collaboration with well known Music Director Carl Doy, the NZSO have invited Tina Cross and singers Grant Sullivan and Bella Kalolo (best known from their TV appearances on TVNZ’s Dancing with the Stars) to join them to perform a programme of popular music that will delight fans of all ages.

As well as Tina and special guests performing hits such as Nothing but Dreams, Night on Disco Mountain , Final Countdown, Young Hearts Run Free, Cry Me A River; Carl Doy and the NZSO will play arrangements of popular music by great 20th century melody-makers, along with songs from the worlds of Broadway, Latin America, soul and rock. There will also be a special Phantom of the Opera Medley in tribute to the late great Rob Guest. The NZSO look forward to taking you on this musical journey!
For more details visit www.nzso.co.nz

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