80s Pop Sensation Tiffany and Her ‘Stranger Things’-Fueled Resurgence: Where Are They Now?

The modern era of music is obsessed with throwbacks. The ’80s, especially, have been a point of fascination for listeners in the 2020s. Many things have fuelled this persistent look back, but a major driving force is Netflix’s runaway hit, Stranger Things. This period show has made the most of its needle drops, crafting an extensive soundtrack of ’80s hits. Many ’80s artists have resurfaced thanks to Stranger Things. In the show’s final season, the creators have given props to a teen pop sensation of the era, Tiffany. The mononymous artist’s nod in this series has introduced her to a younger generation of listeners. If you haven’t kept up with this ’80s icon, learn more about her career at large below.

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Rise to Fame

Tiffany Renee Darwish, known by only her first name, got her start playing fair gigs, pageants, and other local shows in Southern California.

“I started out in beauty pageants and won Little Miss Norwalk when I was just a toddler,” Darwish once explained. “Even then, I was never afraid of the stage. I loved it. I loved music, too – I would steal my cousin’s vinyl, and adored the artists my grandmother listened to, like Chubby Checker and Marvin Gaye. I was singing all the time and loved the way it made me feel. It made me feel pretty.”

As she grew up, she turned her passion for performing into a more finite goal. She eventually started making a name for herself in Nashville on the Ralph Emery Show, where she covered country classics.

This success eventually earned her enough fame to land a record contract.

“I Think We’re Alone Now”

Darwish’s first single didn’t make waves with listeners. This failure had her team set her up on a mall tour, which led to her second single: “I Think We’re Alone Now.”

This cover of a Tommy James and the Shondells song launched Darwish into worldwide fame. It eventually reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her biggest hit to date.

“I didn’t want to record ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ when I first heard it,” Darwish once said. “It was dancey, and I worried that it wasn’t going to show that I could actually sing.”

“I was 14, and I had this vision of me being Stevie Nicks or Janis Joplin,” she continued. “Then, one afternoon, I had my girlfriends over to do homework. I put it on, and they immediately started dancing around. I realized there is something about this song that makes people feel good. Still today, it never lets me down.”

2025 Resurgence

Since the ’80s, Darwish has enjoyed a somewhat favorable career. Like many artists who get labeled “one-hit wonder,” “I Think We’re Alone Now” has kept Darwish in the conversation for decades.

Darwish has been living in Nashville, Tennessee, since the mid-’90s to focus on songwriting. All the while, she has released several albums of her own material, proving she can still make pop music with the best of them.

In 2025, Tiffany enjoyed a resurgence thanks to Stranger Things. In the show’s final season, a main character is gifted “I Think We’re Alone Now,” making it the latest viral needle drop.  

“I didn’t know that that was going to happen,” Darwish once said. “I’m truly a fan of the show.”

This song’s appearance on the show has reminded listeners of the ’80s of the pop perfection of this cover, while giving her a leg up with the younger generation. Revisit “I Think We’re Alone Now” below.

(Photo by Ron Eisenberg/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)