Sabrina Muysken
AUSTRALIA’S GOLDEN GIRL is officially a woman. The Delta Goodrem of 2016 appears strong, empowered and entirely comfortable in her own skin. Now hitting her thirties, the musical powerhouse acknowledges over time that she has developed a clear understanding of who she is as a person, what she believes in and, most importantly, to trust her instincts – an animalistic theme explored by her recently released album Wings Of The Wild.
“I think it is time to celebrate all the hard work I’ve done and all the challenges I’ve gone through… My latest album is all about empowerment and finding your wings amongst all the wildness of all the feelings you have. The artwork and songs have a lot of metaphors to reflect this tribal nature and having to use your instincts to find your way. Something I feel I’ve had to do a lot of in the past few years.”
When it comes to achieving career success, Delta’s instincts rarely lead her astray. Over the past 15 years, the songstress has topped the Australian music charts amassing a staggering 17 top ten singles, 14 ARIA Awards, a Silver Logie Award, three World Music Awards and has made album sales in excess of 23 x platinum. Delta’s latest album shooting straight to number one, therefore, comes as little surprise. Coincidently, within the same week her team member Alfie Arcuri won The Voice Australia.
“I’ve learnt so much from being a mentor on The Voice. It has allowed me to reflect on what I have got right in the past, what I know now and what I have to offer as an artist. For the past five years through the show I’ve essentially been studying other artists every day on set and you really are able to learn so much from them.”
Delta knew from the age of six that she was destined for a career in the music industry, and while the talented performer enthuses over her television roles, it is performing on stage where her ultimate passion lies.
“It gives me a real energy, it is kind of what motivates me. Us artists are born performers, aren’t we?” she reflects.
Even though by now Delta is a seasoned performer, she still draws the same air of excitement from live performance that she did in her earlier years.
“It actually gets better. Each time I perform I go to a different place. I’ve found that I love performing even more the longer I do it.”
Come October, Aussie fans will finally get their chance to see Delta in her natural habitat as she embarks upon her long awaited headline shows as part of the national Wings Of The Wild Tour. This will be the musician’s first headline tour since her widely successful Believe Again Tour back in 2009. And, if there is one thing Delta is more passionate about than performing live it is performing in front of an Aussie audience.
“Performing in front of the Australian public is everything to me. I’m a proud Aussie girl and I’m so appreciative of the way Australians have taken me into their home. Every day when I’m in Australia I feel like I’m a part of someone’s family. They really treat me that way and it is beautiful. I always say to people ‘If you could see just one day I spend in Australia you would be blown away by the love that I feel’. It is very much real, the Aussie public and I have been in a very long term relationship!” laughs Delta.
“With touring, I’m just so excited to get back out there and perform the songs people know and love, as well as some of the new ones.”
Delta’s music is notorious for baring her heart and soul, and acting as a window for listeners to peer into her life. Entering the spotlight at such a young age saw her receive an enormous amount of interest from the Australian public and has resulted in her now-tumultuous relationship with the media. Being splashed across tabloid covers is something Delta admits she has never fully grown accustomed to, especially when unsolicited images are paired with outlandishly false statements. Even though stardom is intense, Delta attributes her resilience and enormous personal strength to her battle with cancer when she was only 18 years old. She confesses that this inner strength is her greatest achievement.
“Yes I’ve achieved a lot professionally that I’m proud of, but I’m especially proud of fighting cancer. I have this strong spirit now and a certain realness when it comes to knowing the important things in life, like my family and my friends. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such support and love.
“For artists our hearts are outside our bodies, but over time I have learnt how to still keep it there but protect myself at the same time.”
Wings Of The Wild is out now.
