‘80s pop star Tiffany on Playboy, leaving California for Tennessee: ‘I’ve never looked back’

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Tiffany reflects on '80s hit 'I Think We're Alone Now,' alleged rivalry with Debbie Gibson

Tiffany Darwish, simply known as Tiffany, reflects on her 1987 hit 'I Think We're Alone Now' and her alleged rivalry with fellow pop star Debbie Gibson.

Tiffany is eager to deliver some Christmas cheer.

The singer/songwriter, who rose to fame in the ‘80s with hits like "I Think We’re Alone Now" and "Could’ve Been," has recorded the theme song for Lifetime’s new holiday film, "Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas." It follows five glamorous leading ladies as they "reunite to share the spotlight to shoot the final Christmas episode of their long-running soap opera."

The film stars Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray, Donna Mills and Nicollette Sheridan, who all ruled the screen during the decadent decade.

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The theme song for Lifetime's "Ladies of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas" was recorded by ’80s pop star Tiffany. It was written by Steve Dorff and Michael Jay. (Erika Wagner)

"These are truly the ladies of the ‘80s," Tiffany told Fox News Digital. "I grew up watching so many of them on TV, so it’s been a lot of fun for me to do this."

"Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" stars, from left to right, Donna Mills, Nicollette Sheridan, Morgan Fairchild, Linda Gray and Loni Anderson. (Lifetime)

"There was just something special about that time," the 52-year-old shared. "There was more personal interaction. You would meet up with someone and hang out at the mall. Sure, social media is great to stay in touch, but there was something about just getting together and having fun. That’s what I wanted to capture [in this song]."

"Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" reunites "Knots Landing" stars Donna Mills, left, and Nicollette Sheridan. (Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic)

Looking back at her decadeslong career, the former teen pop star said she has few regrets in life. Back in 2002, in an attempt to shed her squeaky-clean image, Tiffany posed nude for Playboy. The singer had hoped the racy move would encourage fans to see her in a different light.

Looking back, Tiffany wanted fans to see her in a different light. (Ron Davis/Getty Images)

"I love it still," she said about her cover. "I thought it was a great thing I did. People were like, ‘She’s a one-hit wonder. She’s that little mall girl.’ And that completely blew their perception of who I was. It was an honor [Playboy] asked me [to pose] and I was very happy with the shoot. They made me feel amazing on set. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I showed up that day and there was nothing awkward about it… I saw the photos and they looked beautiful."

Tiffany posed for Playboy in 2002. (Peter Brooker/Shutterstock)

"I definitely dieted a lot for that [shoot]," she chuckled about her spread. "I was in really good shape. So I will always look at that experience fondly. And I think it changed my audience for sure…. I’ve always had a female fan base, but my male fan base grew so much after Playboy… And they stayed. They could have just followed me because of Playboy. But I converted them to actual music fans."

Since then, Tiffany has found refuge in Tennessee, which she has called home for nearly 20 years.

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"I came to Nashville for the first time when I was 10," the California native explained. "I’ve been coming back ever since. I love being out in the country – I’m a country girl at heart. I’ve toured all over the world and this place has always been home for me. There’s just something about coming home to my little ranch… I’ve never looked back."

Tiffany, seen here performing in Nashville, has called Tennessee home for nearly 20 years. (Ed Rode/Getty Images)

Tiffany currently resides outside of Nashville, Tennessee, in a "rural small town." Her son went to college in Kentucky where he studied to be a structural engineer.

"Big cities are everywhere, but it’s that slow pace of life that I’ve been wanting for a long time," she shared. "Home is about six and a half acres of just greenery and trees on a private road. That suits me. I work really hard when I’m on the road, but when I come back, I love to plant flowers, read books and just regroup… There are times when I go to LA and say, ‘I love the beach, I miss this.’ But give it three or four hours of traffic and that’s over."

Tiffany, left, told Fox News Digital that she and fellow pop singer Debbie Gibson were never rivals. Over the years, they became good friends. (Theo Wargo)

Tiffany said that leaving California has kept her grounded as an entertainer. She noted that Nashville gave her a voice – she wanted to be more than just the 15-year-old who sang in shopping malls. While she tried to continue making her mark in the "big city" known as Los Angeles, she ultimately felt "miserable."

As a teen, Tiffany skyrocketed to fame as a pop singer. (Paul Massey/Mirrorpix/)

"I’m always on the go, but it also felt really good to just have time off and be away from the city for a bit," she said. "I’m very family-oriented. I moved my sisters here from California. Slowly, I’ve been recruiting everybody to be here. And I can just be me here. I think I needed that."

"How did I deal with fame so young? I just rolled with it, to be honest," Tiffany continued. "I didn’t have any expectations… I was doing country music at age nine. So I’ve been pursuing music from a very early age. My dream was to be in front of a band. But I didn’t know what touring meant, what it meant to film music videos and all of that. And then, it just happened very quickly. It was an adventure… But I think it’s also the reason why I sought to have a home life and turn off fame. I wanted to be grounded. I just wanted to be a person."

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Tiffany rose to fame in the '80s with "I Think We’re Alone Now" and "Could’ve Been." (Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Tiffany admitted she struggled with being labeled a "one-hit wonder."

"There were a lot of obstacles, definitely," said Tiffany. "You have this rise to fame. And then, all of a sudden, you’re labeled a one-hit wonder, and now you’re not needed anymore. It was hard. It’s taken a lot of belief in myself to keep pushing. It’s taken a lot of great people around me pushing me and believing in me… It sounds silly, but even six, seven years ago, people were like, ‘You can really sing.’ I was like, ‘I thought I showed this on my songs.' Being on the road has given me the avenue to show that I am a performer… People don’t know what to expect when they come to my shows."

From left to right, Jordan Knight, Tiffany and Jonathan Knight attend the after party for Debbie Gibson's "The Electric Youth World Tour" concert performance on Sept. 21, 1989, at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection)

"I was hoping to reach here maybe a little sooner, but you just keep going," she continued. "And this is the only thing that I’ve ever wanted to do. There’s never been a plan B. I’m a lifer as a musician. So it’s been frustrating at times to [prove critics wrong]. But I think now I’ve turned a corner. I’m very proud."

Tiffany noted that she never gets tired of singing "I Think We’re Alone Now," a cover of the 1967 hit song by Tommy James and the Shondells.

"That song still gives people joy," she said about her 1987 chart-topper. "People still jam out to it, and it gives people memories of good times. I’m very grateful to have that song in my life."

Tiffany performs during the 2021 Kentuckiana Pride Festival at Big Four Lawn at Louisville Waterfront Park on Oct. 8, 2021, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images)

While Tiffany finds refuge on her ranch, she has been keeping busy with music. In late 2022 she released her 11th studio album, "Shadows." A new vinyl is coming out for Christmas, she revealed. Acting is also "on the table."

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"I'm ready for new adventures," Tiffany told Fox News Digital. (Erika Wagner)

"The advice I would give my younger self is to be true to yourself," she said. "Sometimes people aren’t going to be happy with you when you say no, especially when you don’t know it all, but you have to live your life. You really have to want to do this. As long as you stay in that realm, then hopefully you will have a very long career. There will be highs, there will be lows. And like a lot of artists, you will get bummed out when you release something, and it’s not exactly no. 1, or it didn’t sell millions of copies like the first one… But is it good work? Are you proud of it? Is it something the fans like?"

"Every day was an adventure," she reflected. "It still is. But now I’m ready for new adventures."

"Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" premieres Dec. 2 at 8 p.m.