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Delta Goodrem
Sydney Opera House, September 25
Also September 26
★★★★

The one song Delta Goodrem has co-written of which she says she’s not a “big fan” is, perhaps fittingly, My Big Mistake. The ninth track on her debut album, Innocent Eyes, it was released two decades ago when she was just 18.

She jokingly sings a few lines before telling us “we’ve done it, we can move on”. But just like every other song from that album, the ARIA-winning singer still brings it to life with graceful yet purposeful stage presence and that voice.

Twenty years on, Delta Goodrem’s music has lost none of its magic.Credit:

Goodrem’s band injects energy as required, revving up the rock elements of songs such as Born to Try but Goodrem’s warm, deep tones and powerful soprano are the true stars of the show.

She also surprises with an upbeat version of a song she says ended up more sullen on the album; some tracks she has never played live; and insights into songs such as Predictable, which, she says was sparked by a voicemail from someone she was dating, but which was not meant for her.

Track seven, Butterfly, comes with a more poignant story. It came about when Goodrem was diagnosed with cancer. The song is about “letting go, surrendering and being peaceful in the moment,” she tells us. During the performance, hundreds of paper butterflies, organised by fans, emerge from the crowd.

Throughout the show, Goodrem brings fans on stage and answers audience questions. When the journey through her debut album comes to an end, she leaps to a medley of some of her later hits including Sitting on Top of the World.

For many, Goodrem’s songs have been the soundtrack of first heartbreaks and first love. Seven albums and multiple chart-toppers on, the magic still resonates.

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