Q&A: Delta

 

CAMERON Adams talks to Delta Goodrem about writing pop in the heart of country, Nashville

 

You've been writing in Nashville. What's that about?

I've been working with a songwriter called Tommy Lee James. He's amazing. It was so cool. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it.

 

Delta goes country?

No, they're pop songs. Actually the country songwriters get really excited when a pop act comes in because they get to do something different. They work with country acts all the time.

 

What's it like writing with someone outside your usual genre?

It's been great. We've written four songs already and they're really strong. The best thing is they just write with piano and guitar, it's so nice. You connect with someone and write a song from scratch on an instrument, not a computer. I genuinely believe that's the way you should write songs. I'll definitely write some more songs over there.

 

What's happening with the American release of your album?

I've put America on hold.

 

Your decision?

It's a decision a few people, including me, have made. I'm still signed to my American record label, I still have management there, it's just the timing wasn't right and timing is crucial for a new artist. I want to make a new album. I feel the direction I'm going in is better than halving the first two albums.

 

You'd made a record that merged Innocent Eyes and Mistaken Identity for the American market.

Yeah. But now I realise I don't think I was 100 per cent behind having an album of both albums. It just didn't sound right. I think it's better to start again and make it fresh for myself.

 

You based yourself in New York to crack the US. What happened?

There were a lot of mergers in the US label (Sony BMG) and it wasn't happening. They weren't really getting it together. But these things happen. It was frustrating, I couldn't afford to keep living in America and not have the album out. A lot of people just spend all their time there, but it's going to take time. It's a big place. I'm releasing in Japan soon.

 

You haven't given up on America?

Definitely not. I strongly believe I'll have a career there one day, but I'm only 21. There's plenty of time. I certainly haven't admitted defeat. I feel I haven't even started the battle.

 

Are you happy with the progress you made over there?

Completely. I have some wonderful connections in the US, nothing was lost. It reminded me of the I Don't Care days in Australia when I first started, to tell you the truth. I'm completely new over there, it doesn't matter that I've sold records anywhere else. You have to be a new artist, take the good with the bad, build strong bonds with the people you're working with. You're starting from scratch. But I have a lot of supporters there. I don't want to neglect the rest of the world, but it's onwards and upwards. It's a good time to relax and write songs at the moment. I don't want to hurry the US.

 

The Commonwealth Games song Together We Are One was a return to the old-school Delta ballad after you took a few more risks on Mistaken Identity. That style of song seems to come easily to you.

Definitely. I could try a lot of different styles and I do listen to a whole range of music, and I hope that'll carry me on to a lifetime of music. But at the same time, you have to look at what you do best. I know in my heart when I get to stand up there in a nice dress and sing to millions of people and sing a big ballad that means something to the athletes, that's the easiest thing in the world for me to do.

 

What was the brief for that song?

They wanted me to write a song like Wind Beneath My Wings or Born to Try. But I can't just repeat that. Born to Try just happened. I'd tried one song for the Games and it didn't work, so I wanted to give it another go. I definitely felt goosebumps when I wrote it, I hadn't felt that for a while. I'd craved to hear that in music. It was a special moment.

 

Is it a hint of where you'll go next?

It is indicative of what I want to do next; it really stretches me vocally. I think it's a nice song to tide me over while I work on the next record.

 

You wrote the song with your boyfriend, Brian McFadden. The pair of you seem to write a lot of songs together ...

We have a lot of projects we're working on. We're shopping around a few ideas to do together musically. We're writing a lot of songs for other artists. We're hoping to develop as a songwriting team. I think we work really well together.

 

So what's the progress on your third album? Will it be out this year?

Hopefully. At the minute I'm taking time out to relax and write more music. I'm in a much clearer headspace. I've had a lot of personal mess for a while; I've had to clear that up and slowly I'll get there. The Games song has given me a boost to get on the right track. I realised what I'm meant to be doing, what kind of song people like to hear from me. I'm a lot stronger now.

 

 

Together We Are One (Sony BMG) out now.

 

http://entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,1...31-7484,00.html

So it sounds like the third album might be more TWAO and IE than MI. I'm really looking forward to it. Really hope it is out this year!

I'm so thrilled to see she is very focused on a new album and not taking a break :cheer:

Thanks so much for that!!!

I don't like the part about her and Brian doing music together though!

Thanks so much for that!!!

I don't like the part about her and Brian doing music together though!

 

I presume it's just writing stuff as they know another single would just be OTT cheese ;)

I'm in two minds about this whole interview...

 

I like Never fades away and TWAO which she wrote with Brian but they are hardly comparable to Born To Try or Not Me, Not I...

 

How can she take a step back in her career? Surely she wants to progress musically instead of releasing pop tunes best left to a 16 year old...

 

Then again I prefer Innocent Eyes slightly over Mistaken Identity so I really don't know what to think...I just hope that she doesn't write all the tracks with Brian...

^^same, but i think shes just laying low ffor a while and writing and preparing for her US release..

^^same, but i think shes just laying low ffor a while and writing and preparing for her US release..

 

 

I'd say the US is off for quite a while...

One thing I'm confused about is if she said the IE/MI hybrid wasn't to her taste, then what's she releasing in Japan? :huh: