Dami Im was born in South Korea and emigrated to Australia at the age of nine, with her mother and younger brother. Im's father Dong Eal Im stayed in South Korea to support the family. Her parents now live together, spending part of the year in Australia and part in South Korea. Im taught herself to sing by recording herself copying her favourite artists. At the age of 11, she began studying at the Young Conservatorium of Music program at Griffith University. Aside from singing, Im is also a violinist and pianist. She was a national finalist in the Yamaha Youth Piano Competition, and won the Nora Baird Scholarship and the Queensland Piano Competition several times. Im attended John Paul College in Daisy Hill, Queensland and graduated in 2005. She never sang while at school and would only accompany the choir on piano, and play violin for the school's Silver Strings group. In 2009, Im graduated from the University of Queensland with first class honours in a Bachelor of Music. Prior to entering The X Factor, Im was a music and piano teacher.
Im had a short career as a gospel singer in Korea. In 2010, she released a studio album, Dream, which consisted of nine tracks and was recorded to raise money for church endeavours. In July 2011, Im re-released the album with two extra tracks, which were both sung in English. On 5 December 2011, Im released a Christmas extended play called Snow & Carol, which consisted of seven tracks. On 9 July 2012, Im released Intimacy, which consisted of five tracks.
Im successfully auditioned for the fifth series of The X Factor Australia in 2013. She sang "Hero" by Mariah Carey and progressed to the super bootcamp stage of the competition. On the first day of bootcamp, Im was placed in the Under 25 Girls category and sang "I'm with You" by Avril Lavigne in front of her entire category and judges Redfoo, Ronan Keating and Dannii Minogue. On the second day of super bootcamp, she was put into an ensemble of 10 and they sang "Next to Me" by Emeli Sandé in front of the judges. Im made it to the third day of bootcamp, where she sang "Jolene" by Dolly Parton to the judges and a live audience of one thousand. After the judges made changes to the Boys, Girls and Overs categories, Im became part of the newly formed Over 24s category and she got eliminated. However, Im was called back for home visits in New York City to replace Matt Gresham who decided he could not commit to the competition. During home visits, she sang "If I Were a Boy" by Beyoncé in front of her mentor Dannii Minogue and guest mentor Kylie Minogue. Dannii later selected Im, along with Barry Southgate and Cat Vas, for the live finals—a series of ten weekly live shows in which contestants are progressively eliminated by public vote.
For the Judges' Choice-themed first live show, Im sang "One" by U2 and received a standing ovation from the judges. Natalie Bassingthwaighte said she had "the best vocal of the night." Im's performance of "One" peaked at number 42 on the ARIA Singles Chart. For the Legends-themed second live show, she sang "Purple Rain" by Prince and received another standing ovation. Keating told Im that the competition "at the moment, is yours." Her performance of "Purple Rain" debuted at number 29 on the ARIA Singles Chart. For the Top 10 Hits-themed third live show, Im sang Thelma Houston's version of "Don't Leave Me This Way", and her performance of the song debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 67. Following the eliminations of Vas (in week two) and Southgate (in week three), Im became the only remaining contestant in the Over 24s category. After her performance of Katy Perry's "Roar" in the Latest and Greatest-themed fourth live show, Im received her fourth consecutive standing ovation from the judges. Im's performance of "Roar" debuted at number 44 on the ARIA Singles Chart. For the Rock-themed fifth live show, she sang "Best of You" by the Foo Fighters and received her fifth standing ovation. Keating told Im that it is "an honour to work on this show with talent like you." Im's performance of "Best of You" debuted at number 78 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
Following Im's performance of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Water" in the Family Heroes-themed sixth live show, her mentor Dannii notably teared up as she dedicated Im's song choice to her parents and grandfather, following the death of her grandmother. Im's performance of "Bridge over Troubled Water" debuted at number 15 on the ARIA Singles Chart. For the Judges' Challenge-themed seventh live show, Im sang Zedd's "Clarity", which was chosen by Keating, and her performance debuted at number 77 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Im received a mixed feedback from the judges following her performance of John Farnham's "You're the Voice" during the Aussie Week-themed eighth live show. Keating said "it was pitchy and a weak performance" and Bassingthwaighte agreed. For the Power and Passion-themed ninth live show, Im sang "Saving All My Love for You" by Whitney Houston and "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus. Her performances of "Wrecking Ball" and "Saving All My Love for You" debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at numbers 61 and 85 respectively.
During the grand final performance show on 27 October, Im was required to perform three songs – her audition song, winner's single and last shot song. Im's winner's single was "Alive" and her last shot song was "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going". Her performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", which debuted at number 29 on the ARIA Singles Chart, saw all four judges standing on the desk. Redfoo said Im's performance was "the best thing I've ever seen in my life", while Dannii added that she is "world class." Im's performance of "Hero" debuted at number 62. During the grand final decider show the following day, Im was announced as the winner.
After winning The X Factor, Im's single "Alive" was released on iTunes. She also received a recording contract with Sony Music Australia and a management deal. Four days after release, "Alive" debuted at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling 35,000 copies. In November 2013, Im will embark on The X Factor Live Tour across Australia with Third Degree, Taylor Henderson, Jiordan Tolli and Jai Waetford. Her self-titled album Dami Im will be released on 15 November 2013, and features studio recordings of songs she performed on The X Factor.
Im was selected by broadcaster SBS to represent Australia at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden where she will perform a new song called "Sound of Silence". She was revealed as the Australian representative on March 3, 2016 during 2014 winner Conchita Wurst's concert in Sydney.
Im cites Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae and Chris Tomlin as her musical influences. Aside from singing, she also plays piano and violin.
Gladiator
Dami Im Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cover the sun in my eyes
I can see your silhouette, silhouette
I'll find a way to get to you
You look at me and I blush
You're like a perfect mirage
And they say you're out of my league
Out of reach, I don't mind
I'll break my back for just one touch
All my blood for your love
Not in it for the honor
For you I swear I'm gonna
Run through a thousand burning fields
And nothing can stop me
Not in it for the glory
I just hope you're waiting for me
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armor
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Like a gladiator (yeah, yeah, yeah)
You built your walls real high
Nobody else dares to climb
But I'm a work my fingers to the bone
All the way to your throne
Catch every arrow in my shield
If it brings you to me
Not in it for the honor
For you I swear I'm gonna
Run through a thousand burning fields
And nothing can stop me
Not in it for the glory
I just hope you're waiting for me
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armor
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Like a gladiator
I'm gonna wait for your love
I'm gonna fight for your love
Don't care about the odds
I'll take on the world if I must
They will be screaming my name
You're gonna see who I am
I'll show you what I'm made of
There's nothing I'm afraid of
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armor
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armor
I'm a fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Like a gladiator
The lyrics of Dami Im's song Gladiator are about a person who is willing to do anything to win the love of someone they consider out of their league. This person knows that the object of their affections is "out of reach" but they refuse to let that stop them. The metaphors in the song are all about fighting, battling, and breaking down walls, as the person sees themselves as a gladiator fighting for love. They are willing to face any challenge, even if it means running through a thousand burning fields or catching every arrow in their shield. The chorus emphasizes the perseverance and determination of the person, as they vow to never give up fighting for the one they love.
Overall, the lyrics of Gladiator are about the power of love and the lengths that people will go to in order to win it. The song is about persistence, determination, and bravery in the face of adversity. It encourages listeners to never give up on love, even when it seems out of reach or difficult to attain.
Line by Line Meaning
Throw my head to the sky
I'm expressing my determination and willingness to chase my dreams
Cover the sun in my eyes
Nothing will distract me from my goal, not even the brightest light
I can see your silhouette, silhouette
I can see the outline of the person I'm chasing, but not yet all the details
I'll find a way to get to you
I'm not deterred by the obstacles in my way, I'll overcome them to get to you
You look at me and I blush
I feel shy and overwhelmed in your presence
You're like a perfect mirage
You seem unreachable yet perfect to me, like a mirage in the desert
And they say you're out of my league
Others think you're too good for me, but I won't let that stop me
Out of reach, I don't mind
Even if reaching you seems impossible, I still want to try
I'll break my back for just one touch
I'm willing to do anything to be close to you, even if it hurts me
All my blood for your love
My love for you is so strong that I'm willing to sacrifice everything for it
Not in it for the honor
I don't care about public recognition or praise, I just want to be with you
For you I swear I'm gonna
I make a promise to do whatever it takes to be with you
Run through a thousand burning fields
I'm willing to go through any challenge or obstacle to be with you, even if it's dangerous
And nothing can stop me
I'm so determined to get to you that nothing can discourage me
I just hope you're waiting for me
I'm hopeful that you feel the same way about me and are waiting for me too
Never gonna give up
I'm not going to stop until I achieve my goal
I won't let nobody harm ya
I will protect you at all costs and won't let anyone harm you
I'm a fight for your love
I'm willing to fight for your love and prove myself worthy of it
Like a gladiator
I'll fight with all my strength and determination, just like a gladiator in the arena
Give it all that I've got
I'm putting all my effort into this, leaving nothing behind
I'm your knight in shining armor
I'm here to protect you and fight for you, just like a knight in shining armor
You built your walls real high
You've put up barriers that make it difficult for me to get to you
Nobody else dares to climb
Others are too intimidated to even try to get through your defenses
But I'm a work my fingers to the bone
I'm willing to put in endless effort and hard work to break through your walls
All the way to your throne
I'll stop at nothing until I reach you, even if you're in a position of power
Catch every arrow in my shield
I'm willing to take on any challenge or danger that comes my way to be with you
If it brings you to me
I'm willing to go through anything if it means I can be with you in the end
I'm gonna wait for your love
Even if it takes a long time, I'm willing to wait for you and be patient
Don't care about the odds
I'm not worried about the chances of success, I'll take the risk anyway
I'll take on the world if I must
I'm willing to face any challenge or obstacle that comes my way, even if it's the entire world
They will be screaming my name
I'll become a hero or champion for being so persistent in pursuing you, and people will cheer for me
You're gonna see who I am
I'll show you my true self and my love for you, and you'll see how much I'm willing to do for you
I'll show you what I'm made of
I'll prove that I have what it takes to be with you and make you happy
There's nothing I'm afraid of
I have no fear or doubts about my love for you, and I'm willing to take on any challenge
Like a gladiator
I'll fight with all my strength and determination, just like a gladiator in the arena
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL JOHAN ISAC GUSTAFSSON, DAMI IM, FREDRIK HAGGSTAM, SEBASTIAN PER EMIL LUNDBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cleversongokuh
iOSaddict Which is a shame because Australia has produced heaps of singers that have beautiful singing voices. Here I'll give you just a handful of beautiful singing voices from Australia, take a look at these singers and their songs here on YouTube, just type in their name and song and enjoy--->
1. Jessica Mauboy - Never going to be the same
2. Bella Ferrero - Set Me On Fire
3. Guy Sebastian - Get Along
4. Taylor Henderson - When You Were Mine
5. Kate Miller-Heidke - The Last Day on Earth
6. and finally Megan Washington - Even When I'm Sleeping (Triple J Like A Version)
I love Dami In and all these singers, I wish/hope they break into the USA market.
@erosleander
"Gladiator"
Throw my head to the sky
Cover the sun in my eyes
I can see your silhouette, silhouette
I'll find a way to get to you
You look at me and I blush
You're like a perfect mirage
And they say you're out of my league
Out of reach
I don't mind
I'll break my back for just one touch
All my blood for your love
Not in it for the honour
For you I swear I'm gonna
Run through a thousand burning fields
And nothing can stop me
Not in it for the glory
I just hope you're waiting for me
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armour
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Like a gladiator
You built your walls real high
Nobody else dares to climb
But I'm a work my fingers to the bone
All the way to your throne
Catch every arrow in my shield
If it brings you to me
Not in it for the honour
For you I swear I'm gonna
Run through a thousand burning fields
And nothing can stop me
Not in it for the glory
I just hope you're waiting for me
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armour
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Like a gladiator
I'm gonna wait for your love
I'm gonna fight for your love
Don't care 'bout the odds I'll take on the world if I must
They will be screaming my name
You're gonna see who I am
I'll show you what I'm made of
There's nothing I'm afraid of
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armour
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Never gonna give up
I won't let nobody harm ya
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Give it all that I've got
I'm your knight in shining armour
I'mma fight for your love
Like a gladiator
Like a gladiator
@brittneyleesaunders
actually love this song!
@nickywicks7861
Not actually totally 👍💯🙏
@K-Ville
AUSTRALIA'S REPRESENTIVE FOR EUROVISION!!!! Congratulations Dami!!! The best choice to represent us!
@RobertHeslop
+K-Ville Entertainment Can't wait! I'm certain i'll be voting for Dami! Good luck Australia, from the United Kingdom ♥
@JoaoJorgeESC
Excellent!
@italixgaming915
+K-Ville Entertainment I hope she has a good song, she can be a serious contestant!
@ambicicek
+Yvan Giovanetti no she hasn't... song she presents is kinda boring..:-o
@italixgaming915
Ondrej Ambrož
She's going to make it. The live version won't be so quiet.
@kwiproduction4411
WHY IS THIS SO UNDERRATED?
2020 ANYONE?
@endlessspace.8776
Dami is in Australia and is not really well know outside OZ.
Her old record label Sony Music never promoted her outside OZ
People are like sheep and follow main stream artists that sell music.
This song did fairly well with a Gold certification but it should of done better.
Australians essentially don't support her Genre of music. but Dami is well loved in OZ and she is doing very well otherwise.