Delta Goodrem speaks out on the darker side of fame after stalker ordeal - as she reveals why she feels 'just getting started' at 41

Delta Goodrem has revealed the darker side of life in the spotlight, while opening up about her first year of marriage and declaring she is only just getting started.

The Australian singer, 41, has reflected on an extraordinary year that has seen her represent Australia at Eurovision, perform at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony and celebrate her first wedding anniversary with Matthew Copley.

But behind the career highs and glamorous public appearances, Delta has also had to deal with the unwanted attention that comes with fame.

In an exclusive interview with Stellar, the singer opened up about protecting her private world while revealing how much she still wants to achieve.

In May this year, a man accused of harassing Delta online and attempting to find her address was charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, while police sought an AVO to protect the singer and Copley.

It followed the conviction of another man for stalking her in 2020.

Asked how she handles that darker side of fame, Delta said those closest to her work hard to ensure her private life remains protected.

'Everybody tries their very best to keep everything in reality and [as] protected as possible with love and compassion, but also understanding there are boundaries still to my world,' she said.

Those boundaries have become particularly important since Delta married Copley in an intimate ceremony in Malta last June.

While she has shared glimpses of the fairytale wedding with fans, the singer said the day itself was deliberately centred on family and close friends.

'When it comes to weddings, it's up to the two people and who they are individually. What made it special for us [was] it was intimate,' Delta began.

'Even though the dress was big, the church was big, it was family and close friends. It was perfect, a fairytale. We got to go back to Malta and have our one-year anniversary there while we were over [on] this side of the world. So that was special.'

Despite being used to performing in front of thousands of people, Delta said she felt surprisingly calm when it came to walking down the aisle.

'I was extremely relaxed about the wedding. I knew I was gonna be like this because of all the other pressure cookers that my life is. I got to marry the love of my life and be with my family and friends in a location that was just ours,' she said.

Her marriage came during one of the biggest professional years of her career.

After more than two decades in the spotlight, Delta represented Australia at Eurovision in Vienna in May, finishing fourth in the grand final.

The experience left her overwhelmed by the support she received from home.

'At this point, with all the different seasons of growing up with everybody, to feel that love and support in that moment, that energy from Australia, I felt it with all my heart. As if everyone had an Australian flag and was waving it with me,' she said.

The performance came more than 20 years after Delta first shot to fame with her hit single Born To Try in 2002.

Now she is preparing to take on yet another challenge, with the singer set to compete on the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing in the UK next month.

Rather than seeing the dance competition as another box to tick, Delta is already thinking about how she can use the experience to take her career even further.

'I'm just getting started! I'm very excited to step onto the ballroom. I welcome the skill set that I can hopefully take to the tour next year. You never know, [maybe] I can bring ballroom dance to my show,' she said.

With a new album and world tour also on the horizon, Delta appears determined to keep pushing herself into new territory.

After more than two decades as one of Australia's most recognisable singers, her next chapter is already well underway.