Delta Goodrem speaks to Attitude: ‘I’m ready to come back’

After a decade away from our shores, Delta Goodrem is back, armed with a killer new single, Wings. We caught up with the now 30-year-old Australian singer-songwriter to find out why she’d shied away from the UK for so long – and how life’s been for her as one of the most successful Australian artists of the past 10 years.

Delta, you haven’t released a single in the UK since Almost Here, ten years ago. What happened? 

I had such an incredible start, then I had to stop and concentrate on my health for a while [Goodrem battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma while she was still promoting her 2003 debut album]. Then coming back into it, it was still a very intense chapter – I got dragged into a situation that was a little more tabloid than I could’ve understood at such a young age [Delta dated Brian McFadden, who at the time was involved in a media slanging match with ex Kerry Katona]. I didn’t run away, but I thought ‘You know what? This is not really my thing.’ I went back and did my thing elsewhere.

Now I feel free: I know what I’m cool with and what I’m not, and I’m ready to come back.

You had such a successful start here before you stepped away from the UK – five top 10 singles. You must’ve had people over the years – fans, record company types – begging you to focus your energies over here again.

I did, but everything in good time, you know? Now is the time, and now feels better than ever. I feel like I’m the best artist I’ve been, and I love what I’m doing again. When everything’s so intense, you can go through a phase where you think, ‘I’m not sure if I even enjoy this at the moment’. Now I’m super-happy and I feel like I can give myself to everybody again.

And what a song to return with – Wings was your first number one in Australia for a few years.

It’s funny – Sitting on Top of the World had gone to number two, and Wish You Were Here was number three, then the album [Child of the Universe] was number two – songs just kept going to number two….

And back in the day, in Oz, you were Miss Number One – you had six in a row!

Number one, number one, number one, number one, right? What I’ve learned is that that ‘number one’ is a whole other thing. I worked REALLY hard for Wings to get there. It was a really close battle with (Adam Lambert’s) Ghost Town, but I was like ‘I will not let this go! Lambert, I’m after you!’ Luckily I’d already bought his song, so I didn’t buy it that week. Wings going number one has propelled a whole other world again.

You’ve said Wings feels like the start of a new chapter. The Australian pop market is so small, it sometimes seems more precarious for an artist down there – has the success of the song given you a confidence boost?

It feels like a completely new shift, with everybody in Oz too. You go through different periods with an audience, and I’ve had 15 years of growing up in front of everyone in Oz – it’s a real thing and it’s a very unique thing. You go through different phases, but this year feels like a whole new chapter.

You’ve been a judge on The Voice Australia for the past few seasons, and people here in the UK might not realise just how much scrutiny you’ve been under in that role. Do you think it’s tougher taking on a job like that when you’re a female artist? 

It would be naive not to say that. I’ve seen it now with having another woman [Jessie J] on the show – that negativity and scrutiny only grows. But I don’t look at it as anything but a challenge. I know that I’ve worked hard enough to be in that chair, and I’m proud to sit there and coach the artists – but if there’s stuff I need to improve, I’ll work hard and improve it. The scrutiny is definitely its own beast, though.

Wings is an explosion of a dancer, poppier sound you’ve been edging towards for the past few albums – it seems a world way from the Delta of Innocent Eyes.

Well, I feel like I’ve still kept the classical piano influence in there in this track. The piano motifs all come from a classical background. It all came from when I was touring with Ricky [Martin] actually; I was playing to the audiences in a very stripped back capacity. 10,000 people a night with just a piano, just a guitar – it wasn’t a bells and whistles show for me. It felt very primal – using a piano to make the whole room feel large. It flipped a switch in my heart and I fell back in love with the instrument.

And is that the feel for the next album – big piano sounds?

Absolutely. I can’t help it, I love big and anthemic, and I like lots of colours and dramatic songs with big choruses and big violins! I can’t help it.

You mentioned Ricky, and on behalf of our largely gay male readership, I have to ask: is it possible to hang out with him and not fall in love with him?

Oh no, I AM in love with him. I am in love with him! ABSOLUTELY. Oh, he is well aware of my love for him. I love that man very much… [sighs]

You’re performing at GAY while you’re in town, and you played a killer set at the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras a few years back. At the time, some were sceptical about you playing a late night slot to a packed venue full of clubbers-

[Quickly] Well, I should never be underestimated. I don’t think you can know an artist until you see them live. Even though that’s not my stereotypical live show – although I wish it was, with massive wings and dance routines…

With such a long stint away from the UK, you must’ve noticed that your gay audiences have been particularly loyal. 

I have. You know, I did a little secret show last night and honestly, it was very electric in the room. Every single person knew every single word to every single song. It was beautiful, so raw and so fun. There was so much energy in the room.

We’ll, they’ve had nowhere to direct it for the past 10 years.

I’ve taken it to heart and I’m going to take it home with me. I feel like this is the first trip of many back to the UK for me… I’m not at a place in my life where I’m predicting where things are going to go. I’m just going to do my best and see where that leads me.

info: Wings is out now.