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Delta Goodrem’s steamy new music video The River features her first kissing scene in 15 years

IT has taken 15 years for Delta Goodrem to have her second kissing scene in a music video.

Goodrem’s last love interest in a music video was in her very first single I Don’t Care back in 2001.

Her brand new clip The River is a surprisingly steamy affair, with heated kisses in a seedy motel.

“At lot of my lyrics haven’t been about relationships, but The River is about a volatile relationship and getting rid of that person and having a second chance,” Goodrem said.

“So it gave me the opportunity to tell the story with a love interest in the video for the first time since I was 15.

“It was a great day at work,” she laughed. “No one was complaining.”

The clip, released today, was filmed in Sydney earlier this month straight after Goodrem wrapped her work in the next series of Channel 9’s House Husbands.

It shows Goodrem act out the swamp-blues inspired song’s dark lyrics about getting revenge on cheating lover (played by model Jai Stevens).

“My acting muscle memory from House Husbands meant I could go straight into that performance," Goodrem said. “I was responding to the lyrics, it was like a script. I was in character, telling the story of the song.

“Hopefully by now I can kiss someone in a video and we’re all OK with it! I’m mindful I have young fans but they also know I’m a woman and have a whole life outside my job.”

Goodrem says the lyrics were personal, but not about a specific event.

“I like leaving some mystery there,” she said.

The 31 year old has found her new policy of not discussing her personal life “freeing”.

“Being longer in the game I just know what I’m cool with and what I’m not. And people are respecting that. It feels better than ever, people are listening to my music and not associating it with other stuff.”

The River is Goodrem’s least Delta-like single to date. Co-written with Dave Hodges (Evanescence), it has a driving swamp-blues feel — musical territory Beyonce also touched on with this year’s Daddy Lessons.

The track has been remixed for single release (“we’ve mixed the choir up so they sound even bigger”) and will also be her next release in the UK and European market.

It follows Enough, a collaboration with rapper Gizzle, as another single that may be seen as unexpected.

“It was actually my mum’s favourite song,” Goodrem said of The River.

“She always wanted it to be a single. I’m really excited about all the creative visuals I’ve been able to do, they’re quite dark. I’m looking at The River like it’s a painting, like it’s a piece of art. I’m enjoying expressing the visuals more than I ever have

“It’s been the year of variety, starting with Cats, walking straight off the theatre stage and straight into doing The Voice. Being a mentor and at the same time being the artist and having my own music. Having the album (Wings of the Wild) out, walking into House Husbands at the same time as creating an arena tour.

“So I figured I may as well put some variety into the choice of singles as well. That was a conscious decision. Two years ago I thought ‘I just want to do a lot of different things’. I feel like I’m at a place in my career where I’m allowed to do that. I think the listeners who have taken me into their homes want me to show the different sides they know I have. The River is quite playful and cheeky.”

Goodrem is now throwing herself into intense rehearsals for her arena tour which will showcase this year’s No. 1 album Wings of the Wild.

“There’s new songs in the show but I’d never not play the hits,” Goodrem said.

“The hardest part is trying to fit all the songs into the setlist. It’ll probably be a two hour show, depending on how much I talk! I want to make sure every moment of the show is exciting.”

One lock in the setlist is Memory, the dramatic money shot from Cats.

“I’ve been working out the perfect moment of stillness for it in the setlist. I’m so happy to have done Cats to be able to sing Memory, I’ll sing it anywhere I can!”

While some artists focus on the negative aspects of social media, Goodrem is embracing the positive — direct contact to pick fan’s brains about what they want to see in her tour.

“I welcome it,” she said. “I want to know what they want to see, they’re the ones buying the tickets. It’s been very interactive. The positive of being able to connect so easily means you get direct inspiration. That’s what I focus on. I don’t even see any negative. I feel people see that my intention has always been to make music and tell stories, lift people up. There’s no other agenda.”

Goodrem will host this Sunday’s Slimefest from Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena — she’ll also perform several songs with her band.

“No doubt some of the kids will try and get me slimed, but I’m the host so I’m in charge of the sliming for the day.”

The singer is also enjoying a new role — Aunty Delta.

Her brother Trent and his wife Carly welcomed son Nate this year.

“My brother getting married and having a baby is just one of the most special things in my entire life,” she said. “I keep checking in with him for when he’s coming to Sydney and when I can get to Adelaide. My heart draws to where he and little Nate and Carly are.”

I am not sure why she/her record company chose this. It makes no sense.