Delta Goodrem says she doesn’t feel comfortable being called ‘famous’

She was thrust into the limelight at the tender age of 18 when her debut single, Born to Try, topped the charts in Australia.

And despite spending almost two decades in the spotlight, Delta Goodrem has now revealed she doesn’t feel comfortable being referred to as ‘famous’ or a ‘celebrity’.

The 36-year-old singer told Daily Mail Australia that while she has respect for reality stars and influencers who have turned their fame into an income, she has a different perspective on things because of her upbringing. 

‘It was a different era growing up. For some reason [becoming famous] was just a part of my DNA,’ she said earlier this week.

‘When people would refer to me, I always used to be like, “Well, I always thought of myself as, you know, I am an artist, a musician and an actress,”‘ she explained.

‘[Fame] was just a part of the industry. I always kind of decided between that. There was a different craft of my intention.’

In an exclusive extract from her new book, Bridge Over Troubled Dreams, Delta reveals what it was like being hurled into the spotlight as a teenager, an experience which inspired her song Everyone’s Famous.

The following is extracted from Bridge Over Troubled Dreams by Delta Goodrem (Simon & Schuster Australia, $39.99), available here.

From the chapter ‘Everyone’s Famous’

Growing up these days is so different from when I was a kid. I wanted to reach for the stars, be like the legends; I was obsessed with learning the craft. But thanks to social media, fame is so accessible now that it’s taken on a different meaning. Everyone’s Famous is an observation on society and how popularity – and the means of achieving it – has shifted.

It’s not uncommon to hear kids say they want to be ‘famous’ when they grow up, but they don’t necessarily talk about what fuels that desire. With Instagram, YouTube and other social media outlets, it’s more possible than ever to become a celebrity, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that – in fact, I always had this vision of bringing a kids’ choir in to sing the line ‘superstars in the sky, passing by’ to give the song that sense of innocence. But when I was young and I’d say I wanted to be like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or Cher – the greats – I wasn’t talking about their star status. It didn’t ever enter my brain to simply say I wanted to be famous, because it was about the art of music, it was about being outstanding in my field, about my passion for the craft. For me, celebrity was (and still is, really) the by-product of being somebody who is so passionate about music and connection and storytelling. The rest of it was never a striving point for me.

It’s probably no surprise that I don’t use the term celebrity to describe myself; I don’t say I’m famous and I’ve never responded well when people refer to me that way. Yes, I grew up in the public eye, but fame isn’t what I do and it’s actually uncomfortable for me to think of myself in that way. I’m an artist, a muso – and when it comes to being in the spotlight, I just try to do my very best to be a good role model and create a safe space for everyone. 

There’s no denying that there has been an immense culture and energy shift. When I released Innocent Eyes at 18, iPhones didn’t exist; iTunes was only just coming into play. If you wanted access to music, you went to the shop and you bought an album or a single on CD, or – going back even further – lined up a cassette tape and hit record when your favourite song came on the radio! But the ever-changing landscape of celebrity today makes me a little concerned for the next generation who are coming up and whether they realise what fame really entails.

Reality TV, for example. I love it, don’t get me wrong. I sit and binge watch on the couch with my friends just like everyone else! But what I would say to people when they get onto these shows and find themselves suddenly thrust into the spotlight is to remember all that comes with it. So much can be brought to light that people wouldn’t expect and when those deeply personal moments are exposed, I genuinely worry and wonder if they’ll be okay dealing with such intimate details being made public.

So in that way, Everyone’s Famous is also a bit of a warning. As the lyric says, ‘you think this is easy, the dreaming comes cheaply’ but when people have their sights set on stardom, they can be blind to some of those more destructive downsides. I find that I can deal with the harder aspects of being in the public eye because it comes as a result of my love for creating music and TV, and my care for and genuine connection with people. My constant focus is always, always on my craft. I think it would be so hard to experience celebrity without having a drive or a passion underlying it.

Fame also has the ability to change you. I’ve watched it happen to people around me and I’ve learnt in my career that if someone is going to change, it will likely happen pretty quickly. I’ve seen the humblest hopefuls on The Voice start their journey gracious and grateful, and within a couple of performances their attitude completely flips. I’ve also noticed that the common factor amongst those who stay grounded seems to be their dedication to the music, rather than the desire for celebrity status.

Everyone’s Famous is also an ode to some of the greats. I wanted to share my gratitude and admiration for those who influenced me during my childhood and who continue to do so today – and that isn’t limited to musicians. I loved basketball growing up so the Netflix show The Last Dance, about Michael Jordan’s career, was incredible to me. He was famous for his talent and the greatness he strove for. They inspired me to always aim high, and I wonder sometimes if that passion, that drive for success – no matter the industry you’re in or the life you are living – has been forgotten in people’s search for large-scale recognition.

The fact that the world’s changed is a good thing, I really believe that and I would never discourage anyone from putting themselves out there and creating whatever life they choose – more power to them! I think that’s amazing and they should be applauded. Just don’t let it stop the process of striving for true greatness – and that’s at the heart of this track: in the search for fame, put passion first.

There’s another aspect to this song, though, that is so important to note. The bridge says, ‘I’ll let you in on a secret… that if you really are a star, you’ll always be a superstar, in the sky, passing by…’ Meaning, if you do have a calling, listen to that voice inside telling you to go for it. The lyric that says we’re all ‘stumbling in the dark’ is also brutally honest – none of us really know where we’re going and nobody is perfect. But let’s not forget about the value of hard work and grounding yourself in doing what you’re called to do. As long as we keep aiming for the stars, any dream is possible.