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Natalie Imbruglia Says She Ran Out of Money and Lived in a Chelsea Basement After Neighbours Fame

Her podcast account frames those hardships as the turning point that pushed her into music and now informs promotion for a new September album.

Overview

  • On Aug. 13, Imbruglia told Davina McCall that after leaving Neighbours she ran out of money and briefly lived in the basement of a friend’s Chelsea home.
  • She said visa limits and a backlash against casting former Neighbours actors in the UK made it hard to find acting work after her move to Britain.
  • Imbruglia described a pattern of paid appearances and reckless spending early on that exhausted her funds and left her financially vulnerable.
  • A chastening phone call from her father led her to take music seriously, she met manager Anne Barrett, recorded demos including an English version of “Torn,” signed with BMG, and had a 1997 breakthrough with the song.
  • She is promoting Algorithm, due Sept. 4, and has also spoken publicly about midlife diagnoses of ADHD and OCD and about perimenopause affecting her mood and performance readiness.