Why Delta Goodrem didn’t start drinking alcohol until age 27
Delta Goodrem’s new single Billionaire starts with a shock revelation during an “interesting” chapter in her life.
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Delta Goodrem has a confession to make – she was 27 before she had her first alcoholic drink.
“I’d worked from such a young age that it wasn’t until my late twenties that I finally started to have my teenage years,” Goodrem told News Corp Australia yesterday.
“I had so much going on in my teens there wasn’t really the space to have a few drinks and have my friends look after me. But in my late twenties I had that period of self-discovery, things had started to get a bit much for me around that time. The lyrics mention how I was trying to numb the pain around me. It was an interesting chapter in my life.”
It’s a chapter Goodrem, 36, will address in her first book, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams, the companion piece to her new album of the same name. Both are released on May 14.
“One day I’d like to write an autobiography, but right now I’m happy to share my stories through music. This book is about the making of the album, the stories behind each song and what I learned while I was making. And there’s definitely parts of my life I haven’t spoken about before in this book.”
As well as a hardcover book, Goodrem has also recorded an audiobook with special acoustic versions of songs from her sixth album.
Her admission about not drinking until she was 27 is the opening line of her new single Billionaire, released today.
After signing a record deal at age 15, Goodrem scored her first No.1 at age 18 with Born to Try in 2002. In July 2003 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent chemotherapy, putting her career on hold before releasing a second album in November 2004.
Her new album includes a song, Crash, which talks about the singer being born two months prematurely, while Dear Elton is a love letter to the musician who helped her fall back in love with the piano.
“Every record I have a different goal, this one was about being at my instrument, being the barefoot singer songwriter, going back to what is real and raw and honest, not trying to chase anything just being present in the music.”
Billionaire’s lyrics move from a dark beginning to become a tale of empowerment.
While the song states “My mama said ‘Go marry rich girl’ it’ll take your problems all away” Goodrem clarifies it was an acquaintance, not her actual mother, who gave her the advice she didn’t follow – the song is about not being driven by money
“My mum is horrified!,” Goodrem said.
“She’s dreading people thinking she told me that, I told her ‘Sorry mum, it just sounds good in the song’.
“Billionaire is a larger than life song, a modern day idea of (Shania Twain’s) That Don’t Impress Me Much, I can’t be won over. When someone told me that (go marry rich) I remember thinking what are you talking about, I lead life with my heart, I’ll have to make myself a billionaire.”
Last week Goodrem pushed back her indoor arena tour to September and October, after originally being planned to start next month.
With the slow vaccine roll out and border closures remaining a potential threat, promoters are still opting for outdoor shows or smaller theatre shows rather than risky large indoor arena gigs.
Goodrem would have been the first Australian act to do an indoor arena tour this year.
“I was thankful people understood it was a huge responsibility to do a national arena tour right now,” Goodrem said.
“We’re on course in Australia, it’s great there’s outdoor gigs happening but I just want everybody to feel safe so it’s the best experience. After doing shows from my living room the idea of everyone being together in one space is still the light at the end of the tunnel I’m looking forward to.”
“But it dangerous to give me more time to work on a tour, before you know it I’ll be flying across the arena! My mind is very active thinking about this tour..”
Billionaire (Sony) is out now, the Bridge Over Troubled Dreams album and book are out May 14, available for pre-order now. Her tour starts September 24 in Newcastle.
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Originally published as Why Delta Goodrem didn’t start drinking alcohol until age 27
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