Eighteen years ago, Delta Goodrem released Born To Try. An uplifting ballad about the transformative power of persistence and faith in yourself, it couldn’t have been clearer that Delta – who initially rose to fame via a role in Neighbours - was not merely a soap star casually trying out a pop career. Debut album Innocent Eyes soon followed, solidifying her message: this was a talented singer-songwriter with a confident grasp of her sound. In the UK, it spent 31 weeks in the chart of the top 75 albums, and has aged beautifully. But whereas many soap actors have struggled to establish longevity in the crowded market, Delta has remained, and almost 20 years after becoming a sensation, she is preparing to release her sixth studio album.
‘This record was born from a reset in my life,’ Delta tells Grazia of Bridge Over Troubled Dreams. ‘It comes from my heart, but also my observations on society, my reflections on different forks in the road and moments that make us who we are and coming out stronger the other side. My natural ethos is empowerment to the listener and those are words I write to tell myself at times as well - a reminder to believe and have fun along the way.’ Her latest single, out in the UK this week, cements this ethos: Solid Gold is upbeat and empowering and absolutely lifting: it retains Delta’s pureness of vocals while absorbing an almost Fleetwood Mac feel.
Despite her efforts to lean toward positivity, though, the last year has of course had its challenges.
‘Like everyone, I was just trying to process the gravity of what was happening in the world’, she says of the global pandemic that forced people into their homes. ‘My heart was heavy and worried. Then in the next phase, I did try to take up hobbies, languages, clean the cupboards, and after some terrible attempts at baking, I realised it was best to get back to being creative and turned to music and my love of the piano.’
This realisation led to The Bunkerdown Sessions, a series of virtual performances which, Delta says, enabled her to connect with her fans, allowing them to dictate the set and get together every Thursday.
This scale, though, was topped through her work as a judge on The Voice Australia. Filmed in the midst of a worldwide shutdown, the entire team had to improvise. Fellow judges Kelly Rowland and Boy George ‘sat’ in the show’s iconic red chairs, nodding along to the music and offering their contributions from the other side of the planet.
‘I’m very proud of how The Voice found a way to continue to bring music into people’s living rooms in such uncertain times’, says Delta. ‘Everyone’s safety was our top priority. It was definitely strange without Boy George, Kelly and the studio audiences, andwe were filming at crazy hours for the time zones they were in, but everyone came together and created a great season that none of us will forget.’ One of the season’s highlights was a duet between Delta and one of her mentees, Stellar. A rousing cover of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill, it was a spine-tingling performance. ‘It was a magic moment!’ Delta says. ‘It’s always incredible to see your artist make it to the grand finale and then to be able to perform with them is so special.’
Delta’s success, particularly in her home country of Australia and here in the UK, means regularly revisiting songs she wrote almost two decades ago. But she insists that this is no bad thing. ‘All of my music follows me,’ she explains. ‘I specifically revisit my music from throughout the years when I am coming up with a tour. I hear the songs differently in different eras of my life. The Bunkerdown Sessions have also been an incredible opportunity to go back through the archives and revisit deep cuts from albums. Each album has come together in a unique way and represents a different chapter of my life and artistry: It’s all an evolution and representative of how I was feeling and what I was wanting to express at that moment in time.’
For the fans who have been with her since the beginning, Innocent Eyes and its hit singles will always be a favourite, and she can understand why. ‘I treasure that time in my life’, she recalls. ‘I hold the album in my heart as you would a feeling of catching lightning in a bottle. Music is about moments and you continually move on to the next moment, the next era, but to have an album in time that was such a juggernaut, and to have created something that took on a life of its own to speak to people and become a soundtrack to their lives is an incredible experience that I will treasure forever.’
Delta has announced a 2021 tour of Australia and New Zealand, but is yet to confirm a UK visit. But she promises she’ll be here sooner rather than later.
‘As soon as I can get to the UK, I will be there’, she vows. ‘I have so much love for all of my UK fans and can’t wait to see everyone in person again.’
Her fans will hold her to that.
**Solid Gold**is out now.
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