Toni Pearen

Following Melissa Tkautz, Toni Pearen was the next soap opera star from E Street to become an Aussie Pop Diva.

Pearen, who played Toni Windsor in the TV series from 1989-1992, was signed by Mushroom Records and released her debut single In Your Room in 1992, which peaked at No. 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart and became a certified gold single.

Her next release, I Want You, from her debut album Intimate, also reached No. 10 on the ARIA Charts and became an ARIA certified gold single. Pearen was also nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Pop Release for that song.

Her next single Walkaway Lover, released in 1994, rose to No. 35 and her fourth single Joy charted at No. 71. Her debut album Intimate, released in 1994, reached No. 56 and is her only album to date.

“I’m just thankful I made an album that still sounds okay; it’s not like you’re cringing thinking: ‘Oh my god, the early 90s were very unkind.’,” she said in 2008 in a breakfast radio show interview with Andy and Adrian.

“I remember that I fought very hard to make that album because my record company wanted to go in a completely different direction. I must have known I was only ever going to make one album because I just fought really hard for it. And I’m glad I did now because people still really like it, and that’s saying something.”

In 1994, she returned to Aussie soap opera TV with a brief role on Home and Away. In 1996, she appeared in the films All Men Are Liars, in which she also sang the movie’s soundtrack, Colin Fitz Lives! and On the Dead Side.

Pearen moved to the United States from 1993 to 2003, guest starring in a number of TV shows such as JAG, then returned to Australia and hosted Nine’s Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show, which she was presenter until 2008.

She also appeared in other TV shows and movies, including Steven Spielberg’s The Pacific, and appeared on Seven Network’s eighth season of Dancing with the Stars.

Pearen is married, has two children and lives in Sydney.

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