Natalie Imbruglia, 51, is an Australian-British singer-songwriter and actor who first found fame playing Beth Brennan in Neighbours before her 1997 hit “Torn” made her an international star. She has since released six studio albums and sold more than 10 million records worldwide. She was married to Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns from 2003 to 2008, and now has a six-year-old son, conceived through IVF. Her seventh album, Algorithm, is released on 4 September through Landgirl Records, the label she founded to put out the record on her own terms.
Here, she looks back at the moments that shaped her, from the pressures of global fame to her bad reputation for always being late on the school run.
Shorts
I’m definitely not lucky in love – but the common denominator is me. I had a successful marriage until it ended, and he was the love of my life. You move through phases. At the moment, my son is the love of my life. That is not a replacement for a relationship – it is unconditional love. Between work and being available for him, there is not much time for dating. It isn’t a “get the violin out” situation. I am happy with it for now.
I haven’t had a moment of real depression since becoming a mum. I have experienced more stress: you now have two people to worry about. But your capacity to love expands exponentially, as does the joy a child brings. I decided not to exhaust myself by pretending to be a more conventional mother. I am quirky, so I am myself and do the best I can. There is no single right way to parent. My way may not be traditional, but it works for us.
