Soundtrack Of My Life: Delta Goodrem

The first song I remember hearing

Olivia Newton-John – ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’

“It would either be Olivia or something from The Phantom Of The Opera, but the two are weirdly intertwined for me. When I was five or six, we went to New York as a family and saw Phantom. I can remember singing songs from the show on the way out and seeing my parents look at me like, ‘Wow, she has a deep connection with music.’ Then later that night we were having hot chocolate at the hotel and I spotted Sandy from Grease walking past. She heard me freaking out and came over to say hi – it was actually Olivia Newton-John! So that whole day was just a really pivotal moment in terms of me discovering my love for music.”

The first album I bought

Mariah Carey – ‘Music Box’

“I can remember buying this album from the Sanity CD store in Castle Hill, Sydney, where I grew up. I must have been about seven or eight. I was already at drama school and singing school outside of [regular] school, so I really loved the big powerhouse vocals that Mariah Carey and Celine Dion were bringing at that time. ‘Hero’ was a song I’d always sing along to – I’m not sure if I always nailed it!”

The first gig I went to

Cher at Sydney Entertainment Centre, 1990

“We were in the bleachers and so far away from the stage that I had binoculars. I can remember waiting all night for Cher to sing ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’. And then of course, I sang that song to my mum in the car all the way home.”

The song I do at karaoke

Celine Dion – ‘My Heart Will Go On’

“I am definitely not going to do one of my own songs at karaoke – I sing those enough! But I do take it seriously because I think there’s no point getting up there and being silly about it. I always go big and sing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion. Go Celine!”

The song that reminds me of home

John Farnham – ‘You’re The Voice’

“My parents didn’t listen to a lot of music when I was growing up. They had three CDs: Joe Cocker, Jive Bunny and John Farnham. But I have to say ‘You’re The Voice’ because any time you play this song, if there’s an Australian in the room, I can guarantee you they will get up and start singing. I guess in the UK, the equivalent might be a Beatles song or ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’?”

The song I can’t get out of my head

Tina Turner – ‘The Best’

“Since she passed, I’ve been revisiting her catalogue and really celebrating her iconic songs. She has so many hits, but I do think this one takes some beating. It’s been in my head constantly over the last few weeks.”

The song I wish I’d written

Kate Bush – ‘Running Up That Hill’

“When I was little and started songwriting at the piano, my music teacher said to me: ‘You remind me a little of Kate Bush.’ I was so young at the time that I didn’t really know who Kate Bush was. But as I got older, I discovered her music and always really loved ‘Running Up That Hill’. I actually sang it on the final of The Voice Australia a few years ago with one of my contestants. And now it’s had this beautiful resurgence, I’ve incorporated it into my live show.”

The song that makes me want to dance

AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’

“This is one of my favourite songs of all time. Recently we’ve been playing it before we go on stage to pump ourselves up for the show. There’s always a lot of air guitar going on!”

The song I’m most proud of

Delta Goodrem – ‘Born To Try’

“I’m really proud of the new music I’m making now – I write, produce and engineer all of it with my partner [musician Matthew Copley]. But ‘Born To Try’ will always be special to me because it gave me that first connection with the audience. It’s part of my DNA and let me share my musical ethos right out of the gate. And honestly, this song has taken me all over the world.”

Delta Goodrem’s new single ‘Back To Your Heart’ is out today. Her UK tour kicks off in Glasgow on August 22, calling at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on August 27