More Than Meets The Eye

Much more than “just a singer”, Eurovision runner-up Dami Im has been playing and studying music since she was five years old. With a newfound confidence and a nod to the soulful women who have inspired her, Im is now ready to reveal the depth and breadth of her musical gifts – with a new album as proof.

Words: Paul Mitchell

Dami Im has a surprising number of faces. But don’t worry, they’re all good – and in many cases magnificent. There are her beginnings as a classical music graduate of the Young Conservatorium of Music, the talent show contestant, the glittering pop superstar, the latter-day Karen Carpenter and, of course, the internationally impressive runner-up at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. All these are accompanied by a remarkable voice that can both melt the hearts of angels and blow the roof off a stadium. And with her new album I Hear a Song, you can add jazz chanteuse to the list.

Like many female performers before her, though, Im is not just switching genres for the fun of it. She wants to make a point. “With this album, I want to make a statement that I’m not just a pop singer, I’m a musician first,” she says. “I get to connect with my musicality again and really have creative input.” And if I Hear a Song is a statement of intent, it is made with such brilliance that you will wonder why it took you so long to add jazz to your playlist.

Buy your copy of Issue 4 now - online or at a retailer near you