Natalie Imbruglia has revealed that she was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD later in life, describing the moments before performing as 'absolutely awful' despite feeling bliss on stage. The 51-year-old Australian singer and actress opened up about her neurodiversity in an interview with The Sunday Times, calling the conditions her 'superpower' while acknowledging the challenges they present.
Diagnosed in Midlife
Imbruglia, who found fame as Beth Brennan on Neighbours before her global hit 'Torn' in 1997, said she was diagnosed with both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in her midlife. 'You name it, there's a sprinkle of it. They're just labels. It's not a negative, it's my superpower,' she told the newspaper.
However, she admitted that one aspect of her neurodiversity is hard to accept: the intense nervousness before a show. 'I'm in bliss when I'm on stage — that's my happy place. Although that's not how I feel five minutes before I go on, which is absolutely awful,' she said.
Perimenopause Worsened Symptoms
Imbruglia also revealed that perimenopause made her symptoms worse, leading her to seek advice from Davina McCall. She managed her symptoms with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) creams and expressed relief that the topic is becoming less taboo and 'shameful'.
'But there's a particular thing about my neurodiversity that's hard for me to accept, which is how I get when I'm nervous before a show. Perimenopause made it worse,' she added.
Career and Upcoming Album
Despite her struggles, Imbruglia remains a beloved figure across generations. Her song 'Torn' topped the US Billboard charts for 11 consecutive weeks in 1998 and reached one billion streams on Spotify last year. The track was also used in a recent Chanel show, and American singer Olivia Rodrigo invited her on stage at a London gig.
Imbruglia is now preparing for her first album in five years, Algorithm, set for release on September 4. She described it as the record she's had the most fun working on, inspired by David Bowie, Robyn, and David Byrne. The lead single, 'Upside Down', released in April, features dark lyrics about lacking motivation, despite its upbeat melody.
Imbruglia, who is single, also confessed to being a 'late-night scroller' addicted to her phone, leading to 'dark places'. One lyric on the album, 'beast of my dreams,' refers to her phone rather than a man.
The number of adults diagnosed with ADHD, autism, and OCD has increased in recent years due to more testing available compared to decades ago. Imbruglia is among thousands of adults diagnosed later in life.
