‘I FELT LEFT OUT’ Dami Im reveals
The singersongwriter opens up about her struggles with inclusion and finding her voice
Dami Im has a lot to say. It’s been more than three years since the former X Factor winner released any original music and she’s been bursting to share her stories. The 30-year-old’s new single ‘Crying Underwater’ drops on September 13 and is her most revealing, searing song yet.
Co-written with friend Michael Tan, Im wrote the majority of the song sitting at her piano at home, where she feels the most comfortable. The lyrics touch on issues surrounding mental health.
Im – who is currently in the middle of her Dreamer Tour – has always been happy to wear her heart on her sleeve and share her stories with the world.
The Korea-born Australian star recently paired up with L’Oréal as an ambassador for their True Match foundation and is keen to share her story about struggling to find makeup that was right for her skin. “Growing up, when I wore makeup, I felt left out,” she tells WHO. “They didn’t have anything like this.” Why did you want to team up with L’Oréal? Growing up, I had trouble finding my colour. It was always so orange, it was just not right. So, it’s so nice to have such a variety of colours. I really like that they have colours for lots of women from different ethnicities out there. Australia is so multicultural, so diverse and I just love the fact that girls like me can now find their colour.
When do you feel like you’re at your best? When I’m well fed! Food is life. I love food. But I feel at my best when it’s good healthy food, and I’ve been good and done my
Pilates and my daily walks.
What are you working on at the moment? I’m on tour until the end of the year! I also have a new single coming out in September, ‘Crying Underwater’.
What can you tell us about the new song? It’s a ballad. It’s a song about how it’s so hard sometimes to talk to people about your issues. People just won’t ask and pretend everyone is happy. I’ve had friends who seem so perfectly happy, but they were struggling with mental health issues and they took their own life. That’s where this song came from. Just watching that happen. I just wanted to put it out there, so people know they’re not alone. There are a lot of people going through this and we need to talk about it.
Did the songwriting process help with your healing?
It felt really great because I was able to express how I was feeling, because I relate to a certain degree. Sometimes I have really low mood days where I have the lowest selfesteem and not many people would think that I go through that. But everyone does. The happiest looking people still have days
“It’s so hard sometimes to tell people your issues”
like that, and it was great to put it out as a song. A lot of people that heard the previews they’ve gone, “Oh, that’s me. That’s how I feel.” So, when I hear that, that’s what I love.
Is that why songwriting is so important to you?
Rather than making songs that are just inspirational or happy, the most effective way sometimes is just being honest and sharing what you feel, or how you have experienced the world. When you share that in an honest way, that’s when people can connect the best. If you or someone you know needs support, help is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.