{{Short description|2002 single by Delta Goodrem}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Infobox song | name = Born to Try | cover = Delta Goodrem - Born to Try.png | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Delta Goodrem | album = Innocent Eyes | B-side = * "Longer" * "In My Own Time" | released = {{start date|2002|11|11|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = Cove City Sound (Glen Cove, New York) | genre = Pop | length = 4:13 | label = Epic | writer = * Delta Goodrem * Audius Mtawarira | producer = Ric Wake | prev_title = I Don't Care | prev_year = 2001 | next_title = Lost Without You | next_year = 2003 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|qTBOJ71ypRw|"Born to Try"}}}} }} "'''Born to Try'''" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, written by Goodrem and Audius Mtawarira and produced by Ric Wake for Goodrem's debut studio album, ''Innocent Eyes'' (2003). The song was released as the first single off the studio album on 11 November 2002 by Epic Records. It was later featured on her first Japanese compilation album ''Innocent Eyes'' (2006). The song was co-written by her while she was staying at her home in Sydney, Australia, for the production of the studio album, as well as written and producing four other songs together.
As the song features instrumentation with a piano, guitars (acoustic and electric) and drums, the song is a low tempo pop song, with influences of piano pop and pop rock. Lyrically, the song is about taking chances and leading one's independence. The song was universally praised from music critics, praising Goodrem's vocal abilities and lyrical content. The song is considered as Goodrem's signature song, as it charted in several countries worldwide, including Australia and New Zealand, where it reached number one. The song also peaked at number three in the United Kingdom, her first single to chart outside the Oceania. It also charted in many European countries including Ireland, Switzerland and Germany.
An accompanying music video was shot featuring Goodrem near a lake and mountains, then sees her in various locations in and around downtown Helsinki, which was presented with timelapse effects.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |author=Delta Goodrem |postid=CEk89qPBh15 |user=deltagoodrem |title=#throwback to the video shoot of #Borntotry |date=2020-09-01 |access-date=2026-05-29 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> The music video was featured on her video compilation ''Delta'' and was performed at both her commercially successful tours; Visualise Australian Tour and Believe Again Australian Tour.
==Background and composition== Before this song or the album ''Innocent Eyes'' had even commenced, when Delta Goodrem was 15, she got signed a record deal with Sony Music and began work on an album of pop-dance songs including the unsuccessful debut single "I Don't Care". The album and proposed second single "A Year Ago Today" were pushed aside as a result, allowing Goodrem and Sony to re-evaluate her future musical direction.
In 2002, Goodrem starred on Australian TV series ''Neighbours'' as a shy school girl and aspiring singer Nina Tucker. The song was eventually performed on an episode on ''Neighbours''. The song was co-written by Goodrem along with songwriter Audius Mtawarira at her home in Sydney. The two originally met in 2001 and Goodrem states "Audius and I got on really well and someone at the record company suggested we write together. He came out to our house, mum made some lunch and we wrote four songs. 'Born To Try' was the last one. We just naturally clicked and there was no pressure so it was just music for music's sake".<ref name="Born to Try writing">[http://www.deltagoodrem.com/newsEvents/home.do?newsId=20021108131736 "Delta's Single Out Monday"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830213851/http://www.deltagoodrem.com/newsEvents/home.do?newsId=20021108131736 |date=30 August 2007 }}. ''Deltagoodrem.com.au''. Retrieved 10 July 2007.</ref>
Musically, "Born to Try" is a lowtempo pop song, with influences of piano pop and pop rock. The song fuses instrumentations including piano, guitars (acoustic and electric) and drums. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is written in the key of A♭ major.<ref name="musicnotes">[http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0085868 Delta Goodrem - Born to Try] musicnotes.com.</ref> The song's beat is set in common time, and moves at a tempo of 66 beats per minute.<ref name="musicnotes"/> Goodrem's vocals span from the note of F3 to the note of Ab5.<ref name="musicnotes"/>
==Reception== "Born to Try" was praised by certain music critics. Matthew Chisling from Allmusic said, along with "Longer" and "Innocent Eyes"; "[...] are pop gems in purest form."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/innocent-eyes-mw0000743523|title = Innocent Eyes - Delta Goodrem | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|website = AllMusic}}</ref> The song was highlighted as a standout from the album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/delta-goodrem-mn0000524298/songs|title=Delta Goodrem Best Songs List: Top, New, & Old|website=AllMusic}}</ref> Caroline Sullivan from ''The Guardian'' said the song along with the album's lyrical content "[...] are a bit la-la-floating-on-clouds, but that doesn't dilute their charm."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jun/27/popandrock.artsfeatures2|title = CD: Delta Goodrem: Innocent Eyes|website = TheGuardian.com|date = 27 June 2003}}</ref> The song received many accolades from many nominations. The song won two awards at the ARIA Music Awards; both for Best Single and Best Breakthrough Artist.<ref>[http://www.ariaawards.com.au/home.php "ARIA Awards"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305093113/http://www.ariaawards.com.au/home.php |date=5 March 2009 }} ARIA. Retrieved 22 July 2010.</ref> The song had won the International Viewers' Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2003. The Video Hits show won the Video of the Year award.
Commercially, the song was successful and has been known as Goodrem's signature song. The song debuted at number three on the Australian Singles Chart, and eventually peaked at number one for a sole week. The song spent a total of twenty-two weeks in the charts and was certified triple-platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), selling over 220,114 copies in that country. After the releases of her other singles off the album, which subsequently peaked at number one, it gave her a record for becoming the first ever artist to have five number-one singles from a debut album.<ref>[http://www.deltagoodrem.com/biography/home.do "Innocent Eyes - Biography"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050709000306/http://www.deltagoodrem.com/biography/home.do |date=9 July 2005 }}. ''Deltagoodrem.com.au''. Retrieved 5 July 2007.</ref> It spent three months in the top five and ranked within the top 10 of the Australian year-end charts for both 2002 and 2003.<ref name="ausye2002"/><ref name="ausye2003"/> The song debuted at number forty-nine on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and rose to number five. After 14 weeks, it managed to peak at number one, making it her first and only number one in that country. It stayed in the charts for twenty-four weeks and was certified gold by Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), selling over 7,500 copies.
The song had less success in Europe, where it peaked at fifty-eight in Switzerland, where it stayed in the charts for six weeks. It also peaked at eighteen in The Netherlands, staying in the charts for twelve weeks. It was successful in the UK Singles Chart, where it debuted at number three, a high peak for Goodrem and stayed in the charts for thirteen weeks.
==Track listings== {{tracklist | headline = Australian CD single<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Born to Try|year=2002|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Epic Records|id=673256.2}}</ref> | total_length = 12:41 | title1 = Born to Try | writer1 = Delta Goodrem, Audius Mtawarira | length1 = 4:13 | title2 = Born to Try | note2 = Graham Stack remix | writer2 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length2 = 4:14 | title3 = Born to Try | note3 = original demo | writer3 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length3 = 4:14 }}
{{tracklist | headline = UK CD1<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Born to Try|year=2003|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Epic Records|id=673634 2}}</ref> | total_length = 14:18 | title1 = Born to Try | note1 = radio edit | writer1 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length1 = 3:51 | title2 = Born to Try | note2 = Mash Master mix | writer2 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length2 = 6:28 | title3 = Longer | note3 = album version | writer3 = Goodrem, Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy, Tim Woodcock | length3 = 3:39 | title4 = Born to Try | note4 = video | writer4 = Goodrem, Mtawarira }}
{{tracklist | headline = UK CD2<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Born to Try|year=2003|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Epic Records|id=673634 5}}</ref> | total_length = 12:34 | title1 = Born to Try | note1 = album version | writer1 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length1 = 4:13 | title2 = Born to Try | note2 = original demo | writer2 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length2 = 4:14 | title3 = In My Own Time | writer3 = Goodrem | length3 = 4:07 }}
{{tracklist | headline = UK cassette single and European CD single<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Born to Try|year=2003|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Epic Records|id=673634 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Born to Try|year=2003|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Epic Records|id=EPC 6735751}}</ref> | total_length = 7:30 | title1 = Born to Try | note1 = radio edit | writer1 = Goodrem, Mtawarira | length1 = 3:51 | title2 = Longer | note2 = album version | writer2 = Goodrem, Barlow, Kennedy, Woodcock | length2 = 3:39 }}
==Credits and personnel== Credits are lifted from the ''Innocent Eyes'' album booklet.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Innocent Eyes|title-link=Innocent Eyes (2003 Delta Goodrem album)|year=2003|type=Australian CD album booklet|publisher=Epic Records|id=EPC 510951 2}}</ref>
'''Studios''' * Recorded at Cove City Sound Studios (Glen Cove, New York) * Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)
'''Personnel''' {{div col}} * Delta Goodrem – writing * Audius Mtawarira – writing * Russ DeSalvo – guitars, synths, arrangement * Patrick Carroll – bass, percussion programming * Richard Sanford – piano * Frank Vilardi – drums * Ric Wake – production, arrangement * Bob Cadway – recording * DUG – recording (guitars) * Michael H. Brauer – mixing * Jim Annunziato – assistant engineering * Mark Russell – production coordination * Greg Calbi – mastering {{div col end}}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2002–2004) !scope="col"|Peak<br/>position |- {{single chart|Australia|1|artist=Delta Goodrem|song=Born to Try|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018|refname="Born to Try Aussie charts"}} |- !scope="row"|Canada AC Top 30 (''Radio & Records'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-08-20.pdf|title=R&R Canada AC Top 30|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1569|page=49|date=August 20, 2004|access-date=June 21, 2025}}</ref> |18 |- !scope="row"|Europe (European Hot 100)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2003/MM-2003-03-29.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=21|issue=14|page=10|date=29 March 2003|access-date=6 May 2021}}</ref> |11 |- {{single chart|Germany|61|artist=Delta Goodrem|song=Born to Try|songid=5709|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|Ireland2|13|song=Born to Try|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|Dutch40|15|year=2003|week=25|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|Dutch100|18|artist=Delta Goodrem|song=Born to Try|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Delta Goodrem|song=Born to Try|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|Scotland|2|date=20030322|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|Switzerland|58|artist=Delta Goodrem|song=Born to Try|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |- {{single chart|UK|3|date=20030322|rowheader=true|access-date=20 September 2018}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2002) !scope="col"|Position |- !scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye2002">{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2002/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2002|publisher=ARIA|access-date=6 May 2021}}</ref> |7 |} {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2003) !scope="col"|Position |- !scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ausye2003">{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/2003/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2003|publisher=ARIA|access-date=6 May 2021}}</ref> |4 |- !scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/2003-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 2003|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> |5 |- !scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2003.pdf|title=The Official UK Singles Chart 2003|work=UKChartsPlus|access-date=20 September 2018}}</ref> |41 |}
===Decade-end charts=== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" !scope="col"|Chart (2000–2009) !scope="col"|Position |- !scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)<ref name="ARIA end of Decade">{{cite web|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/2009/end-of-decade-singles-chart|title=2009 ARIA End of Decade Singles Chart|publisher=ARIA|date=January 2010|access-date=16 January 2020}}</ref> |19 |- !scope="row"|Australian Artists (ARIA)<ref name="ARIA end of Decade"/> |4 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications and sales== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=2004|certyear=2018|access-date=4 October 2019}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Delta Goodrem|title=Born to Try|award=Gold|relyear=2003|id=2003-05-16|source=newchart|access-date=20 November 2024|certyear=2003}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Delta Goodrem|title=Born to Try|award=Silver|relyear=2004|certyear=2021|id=17098-1892-1|access-date=21 March 2021}} {{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" !scope="col"|Region !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Format(s) !scope="col"|Label(s) !scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|Australia |11 November 2002 |rowspan="2"|Epic |CD |align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue663.pdf|title=The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 11th November 2002|publisher=ARIA|page=30|date=11 November 2002|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20030106130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20030107-0000/Issue663.pdf|archive-date=6 January 2003|access-date=6 May 2021}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom |10 March 2003 |{{hlist|CD|cassette}} |align="center"|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/2003/Music-Week-2003-03-08.pdf|title=New Releases – For Week Starting 10 March 2003: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=21|date=8 March 2003|access-date=2 September 2021}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311005826/http://www.deltagoodrem.com/lyrics/home.do?catalogueNo=5109512000&affiliateId=0510&side=1&seq=1&lyricId=-156855 Song Lyrics]
{{Delta Goodrem singles}} {{ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist}} {{ARIA Award for Single of the Year 2000s}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2002 songs Category:2002 singles Category:ARIA Award-winning songs Category:Delta Goodrem songs Category:Epic Records singles Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand Category:Song recordings produced by Ric Wake Category:Songs written by Audius Mtawarira Category:Songs written by Delta Goodrem