Natalie Imbruglia was “crippled with fear” to work on new music after a five year bout of writer’s block. 

The singer is set to return to the charts later this year with ‘Firebird’, out September 24, her sixth album overall and first collection of original music in 12 years. 

She released the covers album ‘Male’ – consisting of songs popularised by male singers – in 2015, and speaking on Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Spinning Plates podcast,  Natalie opened up on taking control of her material. 

“[It lasted] at least five years,” explained the Build it Better star. “[Songwriter and DJ Ronnie Heart] came down to write with me when I was living in Notting Hill, and I literally couldn’t sing a note. And I kept going, ‘Should we go for a coffee?’ 

“I literally couldn’t do it and that’s a terrible feeling. So, after that session I didn’t try for a long time.”

The singer, who shot to fame in 1997 with her massive hit Torn pinpoints the cause of her struggles as being dropped by her record label around the time of her 2009 album ‘Come to Life’, which only saw a limited release. 

“I still don’t know why,” she said of being axed. “Maybe it was financial, to do with the label… I have no idea. 

“But you’re just abandoned, dropped at a point in your career where you just wouldn’t imagine that would be the case. And I think it was a decent album; there’s great songs on there. 

“But I was convinced the universe was telling me I shouldn’t be doing it. I really believed that.”

According to Natalie, it was returning to the stage with her covers collection that allowed her to “reconnect with the audience” and revived her love of performing.  

“It’s such a great feeling that I just thought, ‘People want to hear what I’ve got to say, my fans really want me to do it, if I can just get over it and find a way back’,” she explained. 

“[I was] terrified to try and sing a melody. Crippled with fear. It’s so bizarre,” she admitted. “I’m sure there’s an added pressure if you fall into writer’s block if you’re also a known person, because you think there’s an expectation. 

“It sounds crazy, but I actually had to listen to my own albums to remind myself that I actually wrote those songs and take that in.”

After signing with BMG and writing her new album, featuring her latest release Maybe It’s Great, Natalie admitted her struggles made it “even sweeter when I’ve managed to write a song that I’m proud of”.

“It’s just perspective – believing in your head that you can do it, and I was determined to because I love performing,” she mused.