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07mar05 :
CourierMail.AU
SINGER
Delta Goodrem says her relationship with Irish singer
Brian McFadden was a friendship that turned into something else, and she's in love.
Goodrem was speaking to ABC Radio about the bad publicity she had received in Britain over her relationship with the recently separated McFadden, formerly of boy band Westlife.
The audience of an awards show in Ireland had vocally sided with McFadden's wife Kerry Katona, who was in the band Atomic Kitten, by chanting her name and booing the Australian singer.
"To be portrayed in a way sometimes that is nothing like you over there, like I was in the UK, it can be really personal," Goodrem said.
The songstress said she was surprised people were even interested in her relationships.
"I haven't had many relationships you know," she said.
"I'm still really very young and I guess I am still learning how to kind of cope with it myself.
"I don't know how to do relationships or anything. I am just doing music and talking to people yet I guess I am sort of learning everyday."
Goodrem said she was simply working with McFadden before becoming close friends, contrary to UK media reports that had painted her as a homewrecker.
"... then it developed into something different,' she said.
When asked if she was in love with McFadden, Goodrem said: "I am. I am very happy."
Goodrem brought McFadden home to Sydney last week where the couple attended the MTV awards and sang their duet Almost Here.
Goodrem, who had a very public split from ex-boyfriend and tennis star Mark Philippoussis, said the media "can be awful".
"It can be awful...that intrusiveness," she told ABC.
She wished Philippoussis and his teenaged fiancee, American heiress Alexis Barbara, well.
"Obviously Mark wanted to get married and good for them."
Goodrem said she just wanted to focus on her music now.
"I would love to have a number one album in America.
"I'd love to continue to have music that people respond to."
