Bridge over Troubled Dreams

Planning for Bridge over Troubled Dreams can be seen to have originally dated back to 2018 with the release of "Think About You". The song indicated a change in sound and direction for Goodrem. However, Goodrem has since explained that she later opted for a return to the piano-based ballad pop of her debut album, Innocent Eyes, stating that she had "not tried to chase a sound and this album and body of work is me being my authentic self musically. In creating this album, I wanted to hear all the songs with live musicians. Every song I started at the piano. Every instrument is recorded live and there is a cohesive sound that has been captured".

In December 2019, Goodrem announced she was "living in a music bubble", working on her then-sixth studio album,[11] and officially marked the beginning of the new era with the release of "Keep Climbing", serving as the lead single for her seventh album. The song was globally premiered as part of Goodrem's seventh instalment of The Bunkerdown Sessions which she had carried out weekly within lockdown.[12] A motivational piano ballad, Goodrem explained that her intention behind the song was to remind people to not be afraid to find the strength when they feel stuck between where they are and where they want to go”.

On 17 July 2020, Goodrem released the album's second official single, "Paralyzed".[13] Lyrically, Goodrem explained the song to be a "narrative of when your whole world stops and has to be reset";[14] and described the album upon the release of "Paralyzed" to be "a nod to [my old stuff] sonically speaking in terms of what I was listening to, and getting re-inspired by", further adding "I needed to kind of go back to what I used to do. I had to give myself the freedom to be a little eccentric again. With some of the other songs on the new record, I definitely allowed myself to change tempos; to not have a structure. And at the same time, to have hopefully enough catchiness for somebody to still grab hold of it. There's definitely still both sides of the coin."[15]

In an interview with Grazia, Goodrem referred to the album as her "first 'woman' record", further explaining "my next album has really been about being transparent and finding that part of me that wants to be my authentic self at all times. The album is incredibly personal, raw and honest. I have opened up and shared stories that I have not shared before and people have really resonated to the transparency and vulnerability. I just want to make good music for people to have as soundtracks to their own lives."[16] Delta went onto say inspiration for the album came from the concept of "home" and wanting to be more literal. She was also inspired by a photograph of Patti Smith.[17]

Planned for release in 2020 as her sixth studio album, Goodrem then released Christmas album Only Santa Knows in November of that year with no prior announcement.[18] Four months after the release of Only Santa Knows, Goodrem revealed that Bridge over Troubled Dreams would be released on 14 May 2021.[2] The six-month gap between the release of the two albums marks the shortest time between albums of Goodrem's career.[19]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Retro Pop Magazine	[20]
auspOp	[21]

In a positive review of the album, Retro Pop Magazine described the album as Goodrem's "most accomplished effort yet",[20] and "a collection of tracks that look inward and share her most personal stories with the world"; highlighting "Everyone's Famous" as "an exploration of the nature of fame and the challenges it presents" and the "musings on the impact of success on close relationships" of "All of My Friends".

David from auspOp said "It's rare for an artist to let you in so deeply on each song and is a testament to how transparent she's being this album. It's all Delta and it's stunning".[21]

Stack noted that Bridge over Troubled Dreams "successfully veer[s] from pop to ballads, gospel and even a country-tinged detour",[22] and that the album's themes include "fame, fear and failing to live up to expectations".

Bridge over Troubled Dreams debuted on the Australian ARIA Album Chart at number-one; her fifth to do so and the eighth by an Australian artist in 2021.[10] In its second charting week, the album dropped to number-nine; and rose to number-eight in its third.[23]

In the UK, the album debuted at twenty-five on the UK Album Downloads Chart, rising to twenty-two in its second week.

The album was also supported by an National tour of Australia in March/April 2022, with a New Zealand leg being cancelled due to covid restrictions. She took the tour to Europe for sold out shows in the UK and Germany in October 2022.[24][25][26][27]

All tracks are produced by Delta Goodrem, Mark Rankin, and Matthew Copley, except "The Power", produced by Goodrem and Copley.