Arena was born in the Melbourne suburb of Keilor East, to Giuseppe “Joe” Arena and Francesca “Franca” Catalfamo (both from Valguarnera, Sicily), Sicilian immigrants, in Melbourne on 1 November 1967. Giuseppe was a rural worker in Sicily and then a cane cutter in Cairns in 1955. By the following year he was a labourer in Melbourne and later worked for Victorian Railways. Arena grew up in Keilor East, Victoria with two sisters, Nancy and Silvana. As a child, she listened to Spanish, Italian and French songs that were in her family’s record collection. At the age of six, she was the flower girl at her cousin Gaetano’s wedding, and at the reception she urged her father to approach the host so that she could sing—Daryl Braithwaite’s version of “You’re My World”—it was her first public performance.

Arena’s family call her Pina, which is her shortened first name. She changed her first name from Filippina to Tina, her stage name becoming Tina Arena, when she appeared as a child performer on the national television talent show Young Talent Time in 1976, at age 8. For secondary schooling, she attended a Catholic girls’ college, St. Columba’s College, Essendon, in Melbourne. Recalling her upbringing, Arena says, “It was a very Italian household, it was a very traditional household. There was a lot of love but there was a lot of discipline. And there was no room for pretentiousness. Really, there just wasn’t.”

Arena received singing lessons from Voila Ritchie who recommended her to appear on a television talent quest and variety show, Young Talent Time, an Australian weekly television variety program produced by Lewis-Young Productions and screened on Network Ten.

When Arena was selected to appear on Young Talent Time in 1974, the producers at Lewis-Young Productions and Network Ten asked her to change her first name from Filippina to “Tina”—creating her stage name, “Tina Arena”—so as to be more relatable to the wider national audience. In the mid-1970s, there was a minority of ethnic diversity represented in the Australian mainstream media, especially on primetime television. Initially appearing as a Young Talent Time contestant in 1974, Arena went on to permanently join the cast as a regular member of the show’s Young Talent Team in 1976. She then quickly, and affectionately, became known on the show by her nickname “Tiny Tina”. For her first appearance she performed ABBA’s “Ring Ring”.

As a core member of the Young Talent Team performing live on Australian national television each week, Arena sang cover versions of popular music tracks. In 1977, she released a split album, Tiny Tina and Little John, alternating tracks with fellow Young Talent Team member, John Bowles.

As a member of the Young Talent Team, Arena appeared in TV specials, in TV commercials, at shopping centres and on tourist venues. In September 1982, she became a “coach” for new team members, Danielle Minogue and Mark McCormack; Arena told The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Debbie Byrne that “They seem to be settling down a lot quicker than I did. They both have a really professional attitude.” At 14, she told Byrne “my aim: to be a recording artist and actress but, now, I have to concentrate simply on what I’m doing and that can take enough effort.”

Arena left the Young Talent Time show in October 1983, ahead of her 16th birthday, due to the Network Ten Young Talent Time series age-limit contract stipulation to give way for younger members. Arena performed the songs “The Way We Were” and “MacArthur Park” for her finale set on her farewell Young Talent Time episode. Arena starred in Young Talent Time from 1976 to 1983—making her the show’s longest-serving cast member.

Arena completed her Higher School Certificate (final year of secondary school) and was hired as an insurance clerk; however, she resigned after three months to pursue a music career. Speaking at her BIGSOUND keynote address in 2017, Arena described her childhood to teenage experience on Young Talent Time as an inclusive apprenticeship into the television light-entertainment and musical industry in Australia, Arena noted: It was 40 years ago and there were no ethnic faces on television. It was an extraordinary apprenticeship. Young Talent Time was inclusive and welcoming. The only downside of Young Talent Time was when I was trying to transition to an adult.

At age 17, Arena signed a record deal with Graffiti Records, which released her debut single, “Turn Up the Beat”, in 1985. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described it as having a “dance-pop” style. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Tim Elliott said that it “failed to impress”. It had been recorded in the previous year with Brian Cadd producing at Flagstaff Studios in Melbourne. When the single did not appear in the top 50 her planned album was scrapped.

Following her 1985 recording, Arena sang advertising jingles and worked on the pub and club circuit to earn a living. She performed solo shows and in bands, including as a member of a nine-piece ensemble, Network. She also appeared in musicals. In 1987, she supported American artist Lionel Richie on his Australian tour following a number of charity performances.