Natalie Imbruglia is one of Australia’s top music and acting exports and a household name.
The iconic singer, who has been based in the UK for years, rose to fame playing Beth Brennan on Neighbours.
Soon after she left the show, Imbruglia helped provide the soundtrack of a generation when she released her hit single Torn back in 1997.
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Her catchy cover soon raced up the charts on a global scale and garnered international acclaim.
Now, Imbruglia has reflected on her career, music and life in a candid chat with 9Honey Celebrity, and revealed her plans to one day relocate back to Australia, saying home is where the heart is.
“That’s the plan, I want to end up in Australia. When I was at home at Christmas I was thinking, ‘hmmm’,” Imbruglia said, with the mother-of-one hailing from Sydney.
“It’s something I want to do soon, but at the same time, this is where my work has been, so it’s a big jump for me. It almost would feel like starting again, so that’s crazy.”
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“I’m home every year, all my family is there, but yes, I do see myself retiring in Australia,” she candidly admitted.
The admission came as Imbruglia reflected on working on the Audible Original podcast Sleep Sound with Natalie Imbruglia, in which she recited poetry and work from the late Dorothea Mackellar.
Imbruglia, who first moved to London in 1994, said reading Mackellar’s My Country particularly made her a little “homesick”.
“I was shocked at how emotional I got and how homesick, especially reading My Country. We had to stop about five times as I was crying, there was a wobble in my throat,” Imbruglia said.
“Especially living overseas, I was like ‘wow, this is crazy’, they way she describes the landscape and our country… it was incredible for me.”
But she added about the UK and Australia: “I love them both!”
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Of working with Audible, Imbruglia said she is “someone who finds it hard to sleep”.
“I jumped at the chance because I feel like an aid like this, where you don’t have to work as hard and it can put you into an altered state and help you get to sleep, is a really good thing,” she said.
Imbruglia spoke about her career and passion for music and said she always “felt destined to be on stage” growing up.
She laughed when she said that when she was little, she would always say she “wanted to be a star” – and a “hairdresser” during the week.
She learned invaluable lessons and skills at stage school and said her best advice for anyone looking to get into the industry is to “have rhinoceros skin and expect rejection”.
“I was auditioning at 16-and-a-half, and you just have to keep going,” Imbruglia said.
“The beautiful thing about the arts, when I quit music, even if I’m singing to two people in a pub, I love that connection, that gift.
“So if you want to do it, do it for yourself.”
Imbruglia reflected on her success and said she’s “grateful” to still be doing what she loves.
“You know, sometimes you just forget to look back and appreciate what you achieved, because you’re still looking at what you want to do and haven’t done,” she said.
“I actually feel really grateful to still have a job, it’s an intense industry and some would argue a young person’s game.
“The fact I’m still making music, and still doing it on stage, I feel like I’ve got to the point where I can imagine I’m able to keep doing this as long as I want to, god willing.
“It’s a really nice place to get to, there’s nothing like ageing for being less hard on yourself.”
Imbruglia added: “I enjoy my work a lot more than I used to, I don’t feel like I have to prove myself anymore. It’s like you earn your stripes and that’s quite a nice feeling.”
Much to the thrill of fans, Imbruglia, who recently toured with The Corrs in Australia and is joining them on their 2024 UK and Ireland tour, said she’s working on some new music.
“I’m working on a new album, there’s songs I haven’t had a chance to put down and there was a studio available so we jumped in and got some demos recorded,” she explained.
“I’m diving into that this year, it’s really exciting!”
Audible Original podcast, Sleep Sound with Natalie Imbruglia, is available now on Audible.