Natalie Imbruglia talks new album Algorithm and going independent

Natalie Imbruglia has released her seventh studio album, Algorithm, and is speaking openly about the personal struggles that shaped it. The album, which she released independently, deals with themes of mental health, anxiety, and the pressures of modern life, including a title track about doom scrolling and addiction to phones.

In a recent interview, Imbruglia explained that writing the album coincided with her hitting perimenopause and being diagnosed with ADHD. She described feeling anxious and stressed, and said she went into writing sessions with male collaborators and told them she thought she might have to quit her job. The songs, she said, were written with a sense of humour to help her cope, but they also tackle serious subjects. One track, Who Dim The Lights, is about perimenopause, while Upside Down deals with making peace with your dark side.

The album's new single, Beautiful Love, was written with Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol and Fraser T. Smith. Imbruglia revealed that the music video was shot on her iPhone and edited by her social media manager, Amy Lee, as a way to save money while releasing the album independently. She said she had handpicked her team and was enjoying the freedom of being her own label, though she admitted she does not sleep much.

Imbruglia also reflected on her career, including her time on The Masked Singer, where she performed as a panda. She said she chose the costume because she loves pandas and enjoyed the challenge of making the character expressive. She noted that she was careful to pick a costume with room around her head to make singing easier.

The album has received a warm response, and Imbruglia said she was pleased with how it had come together. She also offered advice to younger artists, saying that while she had benefited from a major label deal early on, anyone can now do it themselves with the right team around them.