Single Review: Delta Goodrem – Wings

Delta Goodrem’s new single Wings is a timely reminder of the singer’s many skills; it’s operatic, it’s baroque, and it’s empowering. Rather than feeling like a cash in timed to capitalise on her increased public profile thanks to her work as a judge on the television show The Voice, Wings works as a genuine slice of pop magic.

The lyric sees Goodrem using the extended metaphor of flight to explore feelings of catharsis and one’s ability to overcome adversity. Typical pop stuff perhaps, but Goodrem’s throaty delivery transforms the clichés into genuinely affecting adages. The chorus rings particularly true, and though this isn’t the first pop song to focus on themes of self-empowerment, the brazen emotion on display makes it unique.

Wings is a pop song that does nothing by halves, and the weight of the strings and keyboard that carry the melody connect through sheer force of will. It’s a song that starts at the emotional pay off that most musicians would choose to end with, and it only gets bigger and brasher from there.

Goodrem is becoming increasingly recognised as a media sensation over anything else. Wings is here to remind us that at her core, Goodrem is an incredibly talented pop singer, whose work has only gone from strength to strength over the years. She’s not just a face on your television set: she’s a peerless musician to boot.

Joseph Earp