Delta Goodrem

Australia’s reigning pop chart sweetheart Delta Goodrem was born in Sydney 9th November 1984. As a musician, singer, and actor, Delta got her big break as a regular on the television soap ‘Neighbours’.

From a young age, Delta showed an enthusiastic interest in acting, music and sports, as she emerged in Australian and American commercials and appeared in cameos on Australian television shows. As well as singing, she is a classically trained pianist and also plays the guitar and drums.

At twenty-three years of age, and despite a career already full of success, Delta Goodrem is now back with a new perspective on her own career. Following her two massively successful albums, ‘Innocent Eyes’ (2003) and ‘Mistaken Identity’ (2004), she spawned a quick succession of hit singles on the Australian and international charts (most notably topping the charts in the UK and Japan). After a few years break, Delta has only recently released her third album, and consequently once again leaving her indelible mark on the music industry.

Delta’s success in the music industry came thick and fast at the release of her debut single ‘Born To Try’. But it was to be a year of up and downs for the Sydney singer; at the height of her new found fame, she was handed some devastating news.

While promoting her first album, ‘Innocent Eyes’, Delta was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of cancer. After under going treatment, she was given the all clear from the doctors, and as testiment to her hard working attitude and commitment was back into work shortly after.

It was a huge year for Delta, which was topped off by winning a record breaking seven ARIA awards. She also shattered the Australian chart record of 25 consecutive weeks at number 1 for the single 'Innocent Eyes'.

It didn’t take long for the intense media glare to take it’s toll on the young singer, so Delta made the decision to move away from her homeland to the UK. Not only did this time away allow Delta to fully recover from her illness, but gave her the opportunity to define her style. Her professional performances weren’t the only thing making headlines; at the end of 2004, the notorious UK tabloids were getting plenty of headline fodder over her new romance with ex-Westlifer Brian McFadden, who had recently separated from his wife.

Amongst all the furor, Delta managed to finish her second album, ‘Mistaken Identity’. In 2005, Delta took time out to get back to her acting roots and had won the lead role in her first feature film, the Australian comedy ‘Hating Alison Ashley’. The next year, she began work on her long-awaited third studio album. With this album, released at the end of 2007, Delta hoped to break down the complexities and the baggage that surrounds her public image. "When I think back to it now, ‘Mistaken Identity’ was complicated… but then I was complicated at the time – I was hurt, I was in pain, and that was exactly what the record was about. I don’t want this record to be complicated. I don’t want to come back like that – I want to be free-spirited. I am different now, in the sense that I’ve grown and I feel much more independent".

By Marina Banoub