Blender! Photoshoot and Interview

Posted July 12, 200817 yr

Thanks to Katiekins of the DGOF for finding this ...

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THE INTERVIEW

Having outsold the Beatles and filled stadiums throughout her native Oz, Australian pop starlet Delta Goodrem is poised to click her heals and take America by storm with her brand of catchy, heartfelt piano pop. Delta caught up with Blender.com for a few sexy snaps, to give us the history behind her unique name and to chat about her eponymous Stateside debut.

By James Jung, Photos by Christy Kurtz

Your name has a certain pop music significance, what's the story behind that?

Actually, my parent's named me after a Joe Cocker song, "Delta Lady." My mom was pregnant with me, and they went to a Joe Cocker concert. He opened the show with "Delta Lady," and they said it must be fate. My grandmother said it was the worst name ever. She said it must be a man's name, because it wasn't really a current name in Australia. But it's not like my parents are musical or anything. I don't come from a very musical household. I think we had three records in our house; so I had to discover music myself.

When did you start playing your own music?

I started piano lessons at 7. Soon I started to write music, write melody, and write lyrics to it. I always had kind of my own little path I was finding. My whole family is sports orientated. My brother is a footballer. It was all team, work hard, discipline, run fast. I made a demo by the time I was about 12.

What was the first album that you ever bought?

I think it was Michael Jackson. I was about 6 or 7, and I bought Thriller. I'm pretty sure Mariah Carey was second with Music Box, that was when I was about 11 or something. But these days Stevie Nicks is on high rotation!

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What's the most played song in your iTunes?

Well, [shuffles to find her iPod] right now it’s all Stevie Nicks, because her greatest hits just came out. But I've got everything on here from Enya to Prince.

Do you have a favorite lyric in rock or pop music?

That's so hard, because I just love so many lyrics. "Rooms on Fire" by Stevie Nicks: "Ooh, well there is magic all around you, if I do say so myself. Well, I have known this much longer than I've known you."

Why do you perform barefoot?

There are two reasons. I have to because in high heels when I sit at a piano, I'm too tall, so my knee hits the top of the piano. The second reason is that actually I really enjoy performing barefoot! I feel like I can be really comfortable, have no shoes on, walk around, and be very free-spirited.

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Tell us about your new self-titled record, Delta.

The first two records are really piano driven, and I think this album is a lot more pop. But at the same time, I always say that it's sentimental pop, because I love to write about experiences. I love my songs to have meaning. It has to have meaning to me, I really need it to have value and emotion, but still be able to be catchy.

Tell us about your Blender photo shoot. It had a really gritty downtown New York City feel.

My dress got pretty wrecked! We shot outside this famous deli, where When Harry Met Sally was shot; and it looked pretty funky. So we were happy to have a look there. But it was raining, and when we got back the dress looked black.

You're a cancer survivor. Does it define you? Are you a cancer survivor first, and a musician second?

I think that every single person that has gone through cancer has gone through a personal journey and learned different lessons from it. I hope it doesn't define me. I definitely think it's a part of me; it's an experience that I'd like to, you know, been there, done that, and not do that again. It was very hard. I was 18 years old, and I'd just broken through with my music where I was No. 1 on the charts the same week I got diagnosed. It was a very bipolar moment. It definitely shaped darker colors within me, but it gave me an inner strength that makes me who I am today. When it comes to music, I have a different understanding when someone comes up and says, "Your song really means something to me." I can say, "I really know what you mean, because I do know what that's like when you need a song."

Australians have a lot of great expressions. What is one piece of Australian slang Americans should pick up?

We always say no worries. I always say no problem, no worries.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE PHOTOSHOOT

She looks gorgeous :wub: Gooooood promo!!