Jason Donovan is an Australian singer and actor who started his artistic career at the age of 11 playing a small role in the 'Skyways' series. Series in which he will meet a young debutante like him named… Kylie Minogue !
We see him appear later in the series 'I can jump puddles' in 1981 and 'Golden Pennies' in 1985. But it was in 1986 that everything suddenly accelerated when he joined the cast of a brand new sitcom called 'Neighbors', in which he once again finds young Kylie. Series which will very quickly become a social phenomenon in the Anglo-Saxon world and literally explode their notoriety.
Television success confirmed in 1988 when he appeared in 'The Heroes' series, set during World War II. One success by calling another, he simultaneously started his singing career and it was the magical trio Stock-Aitken-Waterman who gave him his first notorious hit with the title "Nothing can divide us".
The same trio working for the young Kylie (who, too, now pushes the ditty), it was inevitable that the latter did not offer them to sing together. This is done on the track "Especially for you", an enormous Single which was released the same year and which was to make a worldwide hit, making this duo one of the most glamorous couples of the moment.
His first album "Tenn good reasons" was released a year later in 1989. Album which in turn made a real worldwide hit and which produced three new mega hits which are "Too many broken hearts", "Sealed with a kiss" and “Every day (I love you more)”. The artist was then at the height of his popularity.
New album "Between the lines" in 1990. Album which cannot compete with its predecessor but which nevertheless produces the trifle of 5 new top planetary hits, just that ! With in the order "When you come back to me", "Hang on to your love", "Another night", "Rhythm of the rain" and "I’m doin’ fine ".
Unfortunately, the great adventure turned sour in 1992 when he sued The Face magazine which accused him of homosexuality. A legal action which backfired because the public then believed that he was openly homophobic. Drug cases concerning him suddenly come to the surface, in particular regular consumption of cannabis. Faced with these various accusations, he then took refuge in cocaine, a drift which would hardly help his somewhat tarnished image.
He returned in 1993 with the album "All around the world", an album which was to meet only modest success. Just like the Singles that will be extracted from it. Repeated failures from which he will not recover and which will definitely seal his career, however so promising.
At least that's what we thought because that's not going to stop him from coming back later and proposing things that are not without interest, that's clear.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Nothing can divide us 1988
Especially for you 1988
Too many broken hearts 1989
Sealed with a kiss 1989
Every day (I love you more) 1989
When you come back to me 1989
90s Decade :
Hang on to your love 1990
Another night 1990
Rhythm of the rain 1990
I’m doing fine 1990
When it's all over 1990
RSVP 1991
Any dream will do 1991
Happy together 1991
She's in love with you 1991
Mission of love 1992
As time goes by 1992
All around the world 1993
Once in my life 1993
2000s Decade :
Let it be me 2008
Dream lover 2008
Dreamboats and petticoats 2008
2010s Decade :
(I just) Died in your arms tonight 2010
What is love 2010
Broken wings 2010
Pianjo 2011
I won't dance 2012
Bewitched 2012
Sign of your love 2012
Tracks :
1988 ... first single and first planetary top hit. The Australian fop could not have asked for a better start to his career. At least musical career because for the rest, it has already done more than its proof !
1988 ... which will undoubtedly remain as one of the most glamorous duets of this decade. The 2 Australian phenomena of the moment sign here one of the biggest global successes of the end of the decade and make the whole planet dream at the same time, just that. MAS-TER-FUL !
1989 ... a hallucinating end of decade for the artist where everything succeeds him in an incredible way. Second global mega hit which confirms his status as a phenomenon of the moment and which makes him one of the most prominent playboys of the moment !
1989 ... and 3 ! Three mega planetary hits in a row, a real feat for someone who did not exist musically 2 years ago ...
1989 ... the incredible dynamic which carries the singer does not weaken an Iota and maintains him at a level of stratospheric success. An end of the decade where everything is successful !
1989 ... 2 mega hits and 2 top hits, just for 1989, who could say better ? The singer is literally walking on water and nothing, and no one at this point, will be able to stop him !
1990 ... the passage to the following decade sees the singer mark time somewhat. Competition is fierce and the new decade imposes necessary adaptations. He will have to act quickly ...
1990 ... the level of success drops slightly but nothing to worry about yet. Nothing exceptional but a good job, more than enough to stay in touch with the best
1990 ... a year 1990 which will remain a great vintage for the moment. Maybe not his best but the quality is enough to save the essentials
1990 ... 4 top hits for the year 1990, a feat that we can only salute, especially after the years 1988 and 1989 absolutely remarkable. The fop is still part of the leading pack and won't give up !
1990 ... a bloated 1990 in terms of titles and especially of quality titles. Even if this title will not be classified, we could not miss it, it's clear !
1991 ... a year 1991 which starts again on roughly the same bases as the previous year. Always so Dance, always so trendy, in short, once again a good job !
1991 ... a totally unclassifiable title, composed by Andrew Lloyd Weber and the opposite of everything the singer has been able to offer until then. A daring bet but a successful bet given the level of success achieved by the title !
1991 ... when you start to do in luxury cover, you have to worry. Even if this cover of the cult title of Turtles dating from 1967 is a real success, it shows above all that the singer is at a turning point in his musical career. For good or for bad ? Good question...
1991 ... another excellent title which will not even be classified. A particularly impressive discography of which certain titles of more than certain quality will even have gone under the radar. Go figure ...
1992 ... the beginning of the end. Nothing is going well for the singer who combines personal problems and poor performances at the professional level. In short, it smells of scorch all this !
1992 ... another luxury cover this time of a title dating from 1931 and interpreted at the time by Frances Williams. Once again, the cover is of quality but that will not be enough to save the soldier Jason unfortunately ...
1993 ... this time, the carrots are well and truly cooked. The delay with the competition is now irreparable and the singer is now part of the past. The fact remains that he can always boast of having been one of the biggest musical phenomena of the late 80s and that, nobody can take away from him !
1993 ... that does not prevent him from continuing the adventure no matter what. It's just the level of success that won't have much to do with what it was before...
2008...certainly the adventure will continue but we will all the same lose sight of him for almost 15 years, which is not nothing. While we could have thought that he would not come back, here he is back in a form that we will qualify as certain...
2008...certain and above all sufficient in any case to revisit good old standards of past decades. After having revisited an Everly Brother title from 1959 on the previous title, this time he pays homage to the title of Bobby Darin also dating from 1959...
2008... titles that smell good of nostalgia and the obvious joie de vivre. It is clear that we are far, very far, from the musical standards of the 2000s, but these old titles do a lot of good in any case, even if they are somewhat outdated..
2010...after having revisited old standards of the 50s, here he decides to have fun by revisiting titles that marked him during the...80s ! Starting with this flagship title of the Cutting Crew dating from 1986...
2010...he brings Howard Jones up to date here and his emblematic title dating from the year 1983. Each time, the copy will not exceed the original but in any case pays a beautiful tribute to the latter ...
2010...in addition he attacks monuments, which makes the homage even more perilous. Because covering the flagship title of Mr. Mister dating from 1985 is an extremely daring bet, to say the least. Daring bet but won bet !
2011...the art of going from one extreme to another. We really wonder if it's the same one we're dealing with...
2012...and here he is in jazzy mode, he will have done everything to us ! On the other hand, why try to fight without a possible victory with young people who are 30 years younger in terms of competition...
2012...at least, by playing it like that, he can continue to enjoy himself and above all takes away all the pressure linked to the star system and his dictas...
2012...so, will this title be the last ? As with him, nothing is ever over, it may well be that we find him later...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :