The world first tuned into Taylor Dayne with her debut single “Tell It To My Heart.” The 1987 hit turned her into an international sensation almost overnight, premiering on the Billboard Hot 100 to critical and commercial acclaim.
The song went on to peak in the top five of most major markets. The success led Dayne to finish her first solo album – now certified as double platinum – in just eight weeks.
In addition to its lead single, three others ranked in the Top 10 for the U.S., “Prove Your Love,” “I’ll Always Love You” and “Don’t Rush Me.” In the years since, Dayne has charted nearly 20 singles and sold more than 75 million albums.
The crossover artist – celebrated for her work in Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary and Rock music – has earned three Grammy nominations, an American Music Award and other accolades. She’s also written music for artists like Tina Turner and found new success on stage.
Dayne’s Broadway roles have included a celebrated run in Elton John’s “Aida” and more. In 2018, she also celebrated 30 years of “Tell It To My Heart” by launching a tour, bolstered by a deluxe edition of the album with new music and a memoir of the same name.
Dayne has also competed on reality competitions in recent years, among them Fox’s “The Masked Singer.” She reached the semifinals of the anonymous singing show as “Popcorn” in 2020 before lip syncing for her life on VH1’s “RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race” this year.
Her turn as drag persona Electra Owl – a direct ask from host, longtime friend and drag legend RuPaul – is just one of Dayne’s latest ties to the LGBTQ community. She recorded “Facing a Miracle” in 2010, the official anthem for the 2010 Gay Games, and has long performed at Pride events.
That LGBTQ connection was, in part, what led to backlash after New Year’s Eve 2020. That’s when Dayne performed at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – though the former president, well known for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies, was not in attendance.
Dayne provided very little public comment at the time, responding in a since-deleted tweet in Jan. 2021. “I’m saddened by all this,” she wrote. “I have a [30-year-career and] many diverse friendships. … I try to stay non-political and non-judgmental and not preach.”
Despite the controversy, Dayne hasn’t slowed down. The singer is currently planning to mark the 35th anniversary of her original hit. She’s also touring again and advocating for health care, having shared on “Good Morning America” Nov. 9 that she recently was diagnosed with and successfully treated for colon cancer.
Watermark spoke with Dayne about her LGBTQ fanbase, upcoming music and more ahead of her concert in St. Petersburg, which features a special guest appearance from local drag performer Daphne Ferraro. The concert is scheduled for Dec. 11 at The Palladium.
WATERMARK: What still excites you about live performance?
Taylor Dayne: I can answer that so clearly now because of the pandemic, when touring was at a screeching halt. I felt like I hadn’t stopped moving and trying to be out there working in 30 years … I was not used to not having this connection with my fans. It was really difficult. All this stuff shifted and changed and everybody was struggling to figure it out, and most touring musicians, we were right there.
So now, being back and moving and touring heavily for the last eight months, I have such gratitude and I feel the audience has shifted too. We’re all just so grateful and I feel like it’s a wave of one when we’re out there. We want to be where we are and that moment really matters. And that connection with your fans – certainly new fans, old fans – all that really matters. The music really connects us and it was very missed, so there are a lot of celebratory aspects to it right now.
What’s it been like celebrating these major milestones in your career?
It’s a great point of entry, right? This year, as of October, is my 35th year anniversary of “Tell It To My Heart,” so we’re working on projects to commemorate that and celebrate that, just like I did on my 30 year. I did the book, I wrote my memoir; I really wanted people to how I found my voice, lost my shit and conquered my fears, you know? (Laughs.) Now, there are other things to tackle.
If you see “Good Morning, America,” I had a big piece on there, it’s health and wellness and womanhood and women’s rights, and there’s a lot of things that didn’t affect me at one point are affecting me now. You know, health concerns and more staying really on top of that and being more of an advocate for myself and for women’s voices. For our voice to be heard, you can feel very small at times.
[Editor’s Note: Watch the clip below via GMA.]
You’ve been open about your health over the years. Why is it important to share that with fans?
As of now I’m in the upside of something that felt almost at one point where I was going to give up, it was a health scare; I had colon cancer. I had stage one, but once you hear that, and you’re going into it, just all the bells and whistles are going off. I took a very proactive approach with my doctors, but a lot of things can arise from that. We share because it’s beneficial information, and if it saves one person … we tell stories to educate and to share our grief or happiness, all these things.
How do you think the music industry has changed over the years?
Well, on a lot of levels, it hasn’t changed on any level. Congressionally there are laws that need to be passed on publishing, ownership, IP, musicians in general … there are a lot of things that are just stuck in politics, because it makes a lot of people a lot of freaking money. And it’s got to change, the laws, they’re grandfathered in and they’re just not applicable anymore.
And of course, because with the internet and social media, things are so much more accessible and valuable and information, you see it more. You can learn more and it’s a different world. But it seems the same to me on one level, and then it seems wide open on another.
How so?
You have complete, immediate access to a fanbase that you never had in the past, you had to go through the record label to even get a record out there. I mean, at least I went to the clubs and did a grassroots approach there. That’s how “Tell It To My Heart” even got signed. I still feel that you have to be a warrior for yourself, you have to go out there and really decide how hard you want to hit this. When one door closes you must figure out another door, that to me is what fame is.
What do your LGBTQ fans mean to you?
Well, we’ve grown together and I’ve learned a lot from them. I became a single parent watching the legal system [with them.] I opted to do it in a way, because of my health to some degree, that a lot of my single or coupled LGBTQ friends wanted to … I hired a surrogate, which was very ahead of the time. My kids are going to be 21 years old next month so I started that process 22 years ago.
In the LGBTQ community, sometimes you feel very on your own … and there were a lot of things that I felt very grateful about with the families that were created [that way.] While as an entertainer, and as a performer, it really shifted my mentality on what a family is, how I could raise a family and what [that meant.] What is a mother? What is a father? So my crew is very eclectic, my core people – many gay, many straight – it doesn’t really matter. My point is that we all found each other. You have my support and I thank you for your support.
Along those lines, some LGBTQ fans were upset about your performance at Mar-a-Lago.
Yeah, I don’t really get into it. But I can just tell you this. If you want to know more about it, speak to RuPaul. RuPaul’s like one of my best friends and that’s the first call I made when I got a lot of flak … it had nothing to do with politics. And if I told you all these artists that were involved in that, I mean, we were in a dire time. But it made no difference.
There wasn’t any political aspect to a performance on New Year’s Eve … I hope I made amends in a way that people heard my voice, but there was nothing ill-wished on any level … It’s politics and I don’t see anybody getting happy about that. Hopefully you voted and your voice counts. That’s where my head’s at. Your vote matters, so put it where it can actually have an effect.
You mentioned RuPaul. How did your appearance on “Celebrity Drag Race” as Electra Owl come about?
(Laughs.) Well, it was another call from Ru. I’ve been a judge on “Drag Race” and it’s a phenom. RuPaul in and of herself is just one of the most celebrated, fantastic television personalities and just an incredible businessperson and a dear friend. RuPaul is brilliant, knowledgeable, and he said, “You want to do ‘Celebrity Drag Race?” and I’m like, “I don’t know what that means, but am I going to be doing karaoke the whole time?”
He goes “yep” and I go, “well, shit. Drag queens do me better than I’ve ever done myself, so I can’t compete.” And he goes, “you’re gonna have the best of the best of the best.” So that’s what you saw, the best of the best of the best. Hair, wigs, costumes and obviously I laughed at a couple of them. It was funny. It was great. I loved the audience. I loved the tongue in cheek and those guys were dancing for their lives!
[Editor’s Note: View a clip below via VH1.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuXmi1qsPLk
Will we see Electra Owl again?
(Laughs.) That was actually a restaurant I’d go to, a lounge, and I thought “that seems like a great name.” I’ll say I loved it; I felt like I was right out of the B-52’s, it was incredible.
What can you share about your new music?
I’ve worked on a six-song EP with [Grammy Award-winning producer] Greg Field. I had a ball with really exploring my voice and singing music and songs in a way that I haven’t in years, just as a storyteller. We’re finding and figuring out the home for that. First and foremost, I’m working with a real crushing DJ right now on a remix and redo of “Tell It To My Heart” for the celebration for this 35-year anniversary.
What else can fans expect from your St. Petersburg stop?
Oh, I just love that area. I might hang for a couple more days, so keep your eyes open! I [also want to say] I love you and thank you for showing such strong fan support. It’s just an honor to still be playing and be out there sharing my music.
Taylor Dayne Live will be held at The Palladium Dec. 11 at 8 p.m., located at 253 5th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg. Tickets are $55-80. Purchase yours at MyPalladium.org.
