Delta is the third studio album by Australian singer Delta Goodrem. It was released in Australia on October 20, 2007 through Epic Records. Goodrem begun work on the album in 2006 and collaborated with several writers including Vince Pizzinga, Tommy Lee James, Jörgen Elofsson, Richard Marx, Stuart Crichton and Brian McFadden. The album debuted at #1 in Australia making it her third consecutive chart-topping album there. The album will also be released in the United States making it Goodrem's first album to be released there. Goodrem will be touring in 2009 to support the album.

Background

History

According to different articles released by newspapers Goodrem's new album was oing to be a lot lighter. Goodrem called the album a really happy album. "I went on a mission to make a really positive album again. Being independent and having stability in my life made me feel I could enjoy this next chapter so much more." She started with writing songs that she didn't want to talk about but that wasn't how she wanted to make a new album. Through an insider at Sony BMG, it was revealed that the album was going to be "....a more upbeat, inspirational tone in her pop music." This would be in contrast to her previous album "Mistaken Identity" which was a darker album because Goodrem had just battled cancer when she recorded the album. Initially, some songs she wrote at first had the same dark style due to what was happening in her personal life. Her parents got divorced, she had to let her mother Lea stand down as her manager and her relationship with pop-singer Brian McFadden. However, she has said that the later recording sessions were inspirational and regenerating. "I feel I've got my energy back". Goodrem said that she loved every minute recording the album. She wrote the album together with boyfriend Brian McFadden even though she did not originally intend to write with him. Goodrem says about the writing period with McFadden: "He is such a brilliant writer. I was intimidated by his talent, because we have really different writing styles." According to Goodrem, her writing sessions with other writers but it didn't light her fire so then she decided to write with McFadden. The first song the two wrote was Believe Again, the second single: "The turning point came with the album's opening song 'Believe Again'. Before that I was feeling a little unsure about the direction of the new album. That song really turned things around for me in a lot of different ways." The album contains a new sound; "...it's very fresh, people will be able to accept I've grown and I've moved on", according to Goodrem. Goodrem told the audience during the Chapel concert that she wrote 150 songs for the album and that "In This Life" was one of the one that almost didn't made it. Also the album was influenced by her stay in London; "My foundations are exactly the same - I have the same morals, the same parents - but I lived in London and had some very funky friends who dressed very well." According to a reporter that there is a notable absence of over-dramatic ballads in favour of strong pop tunes. In August 2007 Goodrem presented the new album to some insiders in the music industry. According to the reporter there: "....her music was so impressive there was a real air of excitement in the room." Goodrem wrote the song "Eyes On Me", a Middle East influenced song and was intended to come on the album but didn't make the cut. The song was then recorded by Celine Dion for her album Taking Chances. The song has potential to be a single. Goodrem said herself about writing for Dion: "This is like a dream come true for me, an absolute dream come true. Celine would have had millions of songs sent to her for the album, I just can't believe it."

She posted a video on the internet saying that she worked with writers such as boyfriend Brian McFadden, Stuart Crichton, Tommy Lee James, With those writers she recorded in studios in LA and London. Delta chose all the songs that came on the album in the end.

The songs have a variety of subjects. "Believe Again" is about overcoming life's obstacles. Goodrem stated that "God Laughs" is about the divorcing of her parents. She didn't want to explain the song because she feels that songs said enough. The lyrics are clearly written with lines like: Mum was goin' crazy together to keep it/Dad's two lives he was keeping it a secret/When we found out we couldn’t believe it. "Brave Face" is about the relationship Goodrem has with Brian McFadden. She describes the media pressure she suffered in 2004/2005 by the English tabloids. "In This Life" reaffirms new beginnings, celebrates perseverance, and rejoices in moving forward, according to her own biography. And about the journey you go on in this life and accepting what life throws at you and growing from the experience and concentrating on the positives in life. "Possessionless" is a song dealing with cancer as Goodrem states in a press release in 2008 for the United States. Goodrem wrote very shortly after she was "cured" from cancer. Goodrem says herself about the songs: "A lot of the words from the songs can be quite deep, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are always about my life. There are songs on this album which have nothing to do with my own personal experience of events, but which are still honest and emotional, and which tell a great story. A lot of people read into my lyrics and think they know me completely from them, but I'm not always as transparent as people might think."

The 'In This Life' B-side "Take Me Home" and iTunes bonus "Breathe In, Breathe Out" failed to make the cut because it didn't balance the album, Goodrem states. Goodrem also said that these songs and another song called "You and You Alone", were the songs that came most close to the album.. On the 12 July, 2008 Her new single I Can't Break It To My Heart was played on the Hot Hits.

Singles

1. "In This Life" — "In This Life" was first heard on Australian radio on 28 August 2007 and was officially released on 15 September 2007. The single debuted at #1 on the Australian Singles Chart, making it Goodrem's eighth number-one single.
2. "Believe Again" — Premiering on Australian radio in late October 2007, the single's video was filmed in Sydney, Australia and received much media coverage. The single, released on December 8 2007, was accompanied by exclusive remixes and the unreleased track, "Fortune And Love". The single debuted and peaked at #2 on the Australian Singles Chart.
3. "You Will Only Break My Heart" — Released to radio on February 25 2008, the single was officially released on March 29 2008. The single features a remix and instrumental as well as a live recording of the smash-hit Black Velvet, originally recorded and released by Alannah Myles. The video features clips of fan submissions following such a request on Goodrem's official website. The single debuted and peaked at #14 on the Australian Singles Chart.
4. "I Can't Break It To My Heart" - Released to radio on 12 July 2008. It was confirmed as a single in the August issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine and will be released for purchase on August 16, 2008.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on July 30 2007 that Goodrem has at least four singles set in stone for the album.

Singles chronology

Australia

• "In This Life"
• "Believe Again"
• "You Will Only Break My Heart"
• "I Can't Break It To My Heart"

USA, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil

• "In This Life"

Promotion

Australia and Asia

Goodrem stated that she is planning to promote abroad, in areas she has never released before, including South America. In 2007 she will only promote the album in her home country Australia. She stated in a Q&A session with a newspaper that she is going to do some shows in Japan in January, 2008. She also said that the album will be released there.

On October 9 Goodrem launched the album during an album-launch party in Sydney. She performed several songs on that night from the new album. For forum members the show was more exclusive and had front row seats. Goodrem held a Launch Party at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday October 9, 2007 400 invitation-only guests, including media personalities and fans, attended the launch party. She performed songs from the album, Including 'Believe Again', 'You Will Only Break My Heart', 'Possessionless', 'God Laughs' and 'Angels In The Room'.On October 26 Goodrem will perform several songs from the new album on the morning television show Sunrise. Delta performed "In This Life" live on Dancing with the Stars on 9 October 2007. Goodrem also attend to the ARIA Awards of 2007 and presented an award.

On Sunday 14 October the Sunday Telegraph gave readers an opportunity to download three songs from Goodrem's album which would expire after a week. They were 'Believe Again', 'You Will Only Break My Heart', 'Possessionless'. The cover of the album was shot by Chris Colls, who also did a photoshoot with Delta for the Australian version of Cosmopolitan in 2007. The album cover has been criticised for its familiarity to a magazine cover. This could be due to the fact that it was shot by a magazine artist who is involved in Cosmopolitan shots. Goodrem began her international promotion in Hong Kong on January 14, 2008 with a performance of 8 tracks in a club in that city. Tickets could be won through different competitions. She leaves Hong Kong on January 16 to travel around Asia to promote the album until the end of January. In most areas in Asia the album is released in January. On 5 April, Goodrem performed In This Life and You Will Only Break My Heart live from Sydney for Australian Youth Week on Video Hits. It is tipped to win 'Highest Selling Album' at the 2008 ARIA Awards.

United States

In March, 2008 Goodrem started to promote the album and herself in the United States. She visited many radiostations to promote her single In This Life which was released there on April 15. Including radiostadions in cities like: Chicago, Buffalo, New York and Los Angeles. She has been on the cover of OK! magazine and Vegas Magazine .Goodrem has also had coverage in Billboard magazine and Seventeen magazine. Though most performances that Goodrem had done in the States were for people within the industry, she has planned two concerts with radio stations in Texas and New York. Goodrem is also featured on the May/June cover of Vegas Magazine which was a anniversary edition because the magazine exicted 5 years. In June Goodrem's scedule was released for the next month. Goodrem will be in magazines like Cosmopolitan, People magazine and InTouch. She will also feature in tv-programs like Extra, Entertainment Tonight and on Fox News. There are more TV-programs but those are not confirmed.

Goodrem did an instore signing session at the Virgin Megastore at Times Square in New York City on July 16, 2008. She also performed In This Life on The View the next day, July 17. Additionally, it was confirmed that she would be on The Late Show with David Letterman in September 2008.

On June 17, 2008 Goodrem's single In This Life debuted at #40 on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart. Currently the song is at #21

Tours

It has been confirmed that Goodrem will be touring Australia in 2008. Tickets are expected to go on sale sometime in mid-2008. Goodrem was quoted as saying what viewers saw at the AFI Awards, regarding her remixed performance of Believe Again, in 2007, is only a taste of what is to be expected from her new tour.

In July 2008 it was announced that Goodrem was going to do a national tour in Australia called the Believe Again Tour. She announced 9 dates in 7 different cities. The tour begins on January 9 and will end on February 4, 2009.

Reception

Reviews

The album has been well received by critics. Even before the album was released Goodrem invited several members of the media together to have a listen to the album. Many journalists afterwards were enthusiastic. "....her music was so impressive there was a real air of excitement in the room.", says one of the reporters Other reviews the album has received were also positive. The Sunday Herald called the album: not a typical, eminently forgettable soap-star-turned-Top-40-poppet offering. and gave a 3.5 star rating out of 5. American reviewers were also positive.

The first review from America came from Allmusic who praised Goodrem's voice and talent but felt like she didn't fulfilled that talent in the songs. "...on others Goodrem seems to be branching out into unfamiliar territory that doesn't fully suit her. The only negative trait that might occur because of the transition to a more mainstream audience is Goodrem's ability to stand out, but her level of talent and charm might get her over that hurdle with grace." They gave a 3.5 star out of 5.

Release

The album was released in Australia on October 20, 2007. The album debuted at #1 on the ARIA chart on October 28, 2007 making this Goodrem's third number one album. The album was credited platinum in its first week of release. The album's release in New Zealand a week later, on October 29, 2007, conincided with a brief promotional trip to New Zealand. The album debuted on the New Zealand charts at #12. Goodrem stated herself that she would only concentrate on Australia until the beginning of 2008. Goodrem also stated that the album is going to be released in new territories.

Direct Current reported in March 2008 that Goodrem will be releasing the album in the US, June 3, 2008 with a physical and download release eventuating on July 15 due to extra promotional activity in the US.

It was released on 20 February 2008 in Japan. In its first week, it charted at #8 on the International Chart and #39 on the overall chart, with 4,959 copies sold. In its second week it fell to #16 on the International chart, with 3,319 sold.

In an article in Billboard magazine dated 12th July, Sony BMG Australia CEO Denis Handlin confirmed that once Goodrem has finished promotional duties in the USA for "Delta", attention will be shifted to the UK and the rest of Europe, possibly meaning a release towards the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. Goodrem herself also recently confirmed in an interview on UK morning TV show GMTV that she would see her UK fans "soon".

Track listing

1. "Believe Again" (Stuart Crichton, Delta Goodrem, Tommy Lee James, Brian McFadden) — 5:48
2. "In This Life" (Crichton, Goodrem, Lee James, McFadden) — 3:47
3. "Possessionless" (Andrew Frampton, Goodrem, Steve Kipner, Wayne Wilkins, McFadden) — 4:22
4. "God Laughs" (Frampton, Goodrem, Kipner, Wilkins) — 4:09
5. "You Will Only Break My Heart" (Crichton, Goodrem, Lee James, McFadden) — 3:03
6. "The Guardian" (Carl Björsell, Carl Falk, Sharon Vaughn) — 3:48
7. "Bare Hands" (Frampton, Goodrem, Kipner, Wilkins) — 3:44
8. "Woman" (Steve Mac, Wayne Hector) — 4:30
9. "I Can't Break It To My Heart" (Goodrem, Savan Kotecha, Kristian Lundin) — 4:00
10. "Brave Face" (Frampton, Goodrem, Kipner, Wilkins) — 3:45
11. "One Day" (Crichton, Goodrem, Lee James, McFadden) — 3:38
12. "Angels in the Room" (Crichton, Goodrem, Lee James, McFadden) — 4:22

Bonus tracks

• Australian iTunes edition:
• "Right Here in My Heart" (Paul Barry, Goodrem) — 4:10
• Japan edition:
• "Breathe In, Breathe Out" (Crichton, Goodrem, Lee James) — 3:34
• "Together We Are One" (Guy Chambers, McFadden, Goodrem) — 4:15
• Japan "Delta +1" deluxe edition:

Japan deluxe bonus DVD

1. "In This Life" (music video) — 3:47
2. "In This Life" (Behind the Scenes)
3. "Believe Again" (music video) — 4:06
4. "Believe Again" (Behind the Scenes)
5. Interview with Delta
6. "Behind the scenes with JuJu"

US edition

1. "Believe Again" — 5:48
2. "In This Life" (Updated Mix) — 3:47
3. "Possessionless" — 4:22
4. "Born to Try" (US Mix) (Goodrem, Audius Mtawarira) — 4:03
5. "Bare Hands" — 3:44
6. "God Laughs" — 4:09
7. "You Will Only Break My Heart" — 3:03
8. "Woman" — 4:30
9. "Brave Face" — 3:45
10. "I Can't Break It To My Heart" — 4:00
11. "One Day" — 3:38
12. "Angels in the Room" — 4:22
13. "In This Life (Acoustic iTunes Bonus Track)" — 3:45

Chart performance and certification

The album debuted at number one on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart on October 29, 2007 with 23,072 copies soldknocking Matchbox Twenty off the top spot and accrediting platinum status. On its second week it sold 12,186 copies and was knocked off the top spot by The Eagles' album Long Road Out of Eden. In its third week the album had sold 8,927 copies. The album had dropped one spot every week, debuting at one then moving to two, three, four, five and six. In its sixth week it was accredited 2x Platinum. In New Zealand the album debuted at #12 in the RIANZ album chart after a three year absence in the charts. The album sold 16,434 copies two weeks before it sold 19,562 copies the week directly preceding the holiday (with 283 downloads). On April 6, 2008, the album was at #45 on the ARIA charts having spent 22 weeks on the chart. The album re-charted in New Zealand on March 18, at #17. In Japan the album debuted at #39 in the Overall chart and #8 in the International chart. The album sold almost 5,000 copies in its first week, 1,000 copies more than her previous album in Japan. It has peaked at number 18 on the U.S iTunes Store. It later debuted at #116 on the US Billboard Album Chart and #1 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers with sales of 6,000 copies .On August 24, 2008 it re-entered the ARIA Charts at #35, following promotion Goodrem did in Australia for the single, I Can't Break It To My Heart, and the Believe Again Tour. The album has sold approximately 300 000 copies.

Chart (2007)	Provider	Peak position	Certification	Sales
Australia Album Chart	ARIA	1	3× platinum	210,000+
New Zealand Album Chart	RIANZ	12
Chart (2008)	Provider	Peak position	Certification	Sales
Hong Kong Album Chart (Overall)	?	3	-	-
Hong Kong Album Chart (International)		1
Japanese Album Chart (Overall)	Oricon	39	-	30,000
Japanese Album Chart (International)		8
US Billboard 200	Billboard	116	-	21,000
US Billboard Top Heatseekers		1

Release dates

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue	Notes
Australia	October 20, 2007	Epic/Sony BMG	CD	88697171932	Deluxe Edition as well
New Zealand	October 29, 2007	Epic/Sony BMG	CD
China	December 25, 2007	Sony Music	CD	88697171932
Hong Kong	January 11, 2008	Sony BMG HK	CD
Singapore	January 14, 2008	Sony BMG	CD
Taiwan	January 18, 2008	Sony BMG	CD	88697171932
South Korea	January 28, 2008	Sony BMG	CD	8803581113938
Thailand	February 12, 2008	Sony BMG	CD	88697171932
Japan	February 20, 2008	Sony BMG	CD	SICP-1746	Special Japanese release
Germany	May 9, 2008	Sony BMG	CD	B000WM72MA
Japan	June 11, 2008	Sony BMG	CD/DVD	SICP-1863	Deluxe Edition
Canada	July 15, 2008	Mercury Records	CD
United States		Mercury Records	CD	001126202

Credits

• Abe Laboriel Jr. — Drums
• Adrian Hall — Engineer
• Andrew Frampton — Drum Programming, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer
• Anna Ross — Vocals (Background)
• Brian McFadden — Guitar, Vocals (Background)
• Chris Elliot — String Arrangements
• Chris Laws — Drums, Engineer
• Daniel Chase — Programming
• Daniel Debourg — Vocals (Background)
• Daniel Pursey — Assistant
• Dave Arch — Piano, String Arrangements
• David Paul Jr. Collins — A&R
• Delta Goodrem — Vocals (Background)
• Glenn Pittman — Assistant Engineer
• Harry Magee — Management
• Isobel Griffiths — Orchestra Contractor
• Jamie Muhoberac — Keyboards, Piano
• Jason Boshoff — Programming
• Jeff Rothschild — Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Vocal Engineer
• John Farrar — Guitar
• John Shanks — Bass, Guitar, Producer, Vocals (Background)
• Josh Blair — Engineer
• Kristian Lundin — Vocal Engineer
• Lars Fox — Digital Editing, Editing
• Marius de Vries — Engineer, Keyboards, Producer, Programming, String Arrangements
• Mark Endert — Mixing
• Myriam Martin — Vocals (Background)
• Patricia Scott — Vocals (Background)
• Paul Gendler — Guitar
• Perry Mason — Orchestra Leader
• Pete Craigie — Mixing
• Ren Swan — Mixing
• Rohan Onraet — Assistant
• Shari Sutcliffe — Contractor, Production Coordination
• Steve Kipner — Guitar, Producer
• Steve Mac — Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, Synthesizer
• Steve Pearce — Bass
• Stuart Crichton — Engineer, Guitar, Keyboards, Mixing, Producer, Programming, String Arrangements, Vocal Producer, Vocals (Background)
• Ted Jensen — Mastering
• Tommy Lee James — Vocals (Background)
• Wayne Wilkins — Drum Programming, Keyboards, Producer

References