Former pop star now sings about faith

In the early 1990s, Tatiana Cameron was the Britney Spears of Central Europe.

At 19, when she was known as Tajci, she won the Eurovision Song Contest, akin to today's "American Idol." The show launched her pop career like a rocket.

Her energy and image fit perfectly into the heady times just after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union.

Crowds mobbed her everywhere she went, clamoring for a glimpse of the perky Croatian blonde and any new snippets of information about her clothes and boyfriends.

It was all a bit overwhelming, Cameron said in an early interview on her Web site, www.idobelieve.com. She described one scene after a concert when she got into a car only to be surrounded by a mob of hundreds of fans. The people were banging on the vehicle to prevent it from leaving.

A little more than a year later, in 1991, she suddenly left it all behind and came to the United States seeking anonymity and a more normal life. Her fame and popularity were out of control. And her homeland was sinking into war.

Under Soviet rule, practicing religion had not been allowed. But her parents had secretly baptized their children. While they did not discuss religion at home or attend church, they had planted the seed in their daughter.

It germinated in the United States, where she was able to freely explore her faith and religion while enjoying life as just another young student trying to make it in New York City and later Los Angeles.

She has since married and started a family. In recent years she once again found her voice and made the decision to re-launch her career.

But this time around, instead of bright lights, short skirts and high energy techno music, Cameron, 37, uses her incredible voice to showcase her faith with ballads about life, love and family.

She performs mainly in churches and will be presenting a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist, 0S233 Church St., Winfield.

The concert is free and all are welcome, said Maureen Brennan, director of religious education. A freewill offering will be taken, as it is at all her concerts.

"Her story is phenomenal," Brennan said. "There was something huge missing from her life and she found it."

Saturday's concert will feature Cameron backed by Denny Bouchard in "Let It Be -- Mary's Story," an emotional portrayal of the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Cameron also will be performing three other concerts in DuPage County in coming weeks. At 3 p.m. Sunday, she'll be at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 1135 Daniel Drive, Bensenville.

That concert, titled "I Do Believe," will feature some of her own recordings from her recent albums. More information is available by calling the church at (630) 860-1120.

Cameron also is scheduled to bring her holiday-themed Emmanuel Tour at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 to St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 2220 Lisson Road, Naperville.

The following day, Dec. 2, she will appear at 7 p.m. at St. Isaac Jogues Church, 306 W. Fourth St., Hinsdale.

If you go

Who: Tatiana Cameron

What: A series of concerts at DuPage County churches

When: The series begins at 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: St. John the Baptist Church, 0S233 Church St., Winfield

Cost: Freewill offering

Info: (630) 668-0918

Other shows:

• 3 p.m. Sunday at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 1135 Daniel Drive, Bensenville. Info: (630) 860-1120

• 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 2220 Lisson Road, Naperville. Info: (630) 416-3325

• 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at St. Isaac Jogues Church, 306 W. Fourth St., Hinsdale. Info: (630) 323-1248