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.
Sound of Silence
Dami Im Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to feel your love through face time
Symphonies of dreams and highlights
Caught up in this crazy fast life
But baby you're not here with me
And I keep calling, calling
Keep calling 'cause
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
Getting hard to break through the madness
You're not here it never makes sense
Tidal waves of tears are crashing
No one here to save me drowning
'Cause baby you're not here with me
And I keep calling, calling
Keep calling 'cause
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
I know I'm stronger and I'm capable
I know it's all in my head
But I keep calling, calling
Calling, calling
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
And it beats to the sound of silence
In the song Sound of Silence by Dami Im, the lyrics express the feelings of loneliness and yearning for someone who isn't there. The opening lines "Growing tired and weary brown eyes, Trying to feel your love through face time" represents the frustration of trying to connect with someone who is not physically present, perhaps through a video call. The next line "Symphonies of dreams and highlights, Caught up in this crazy fast life" suggests that the person is bogged down by a hectic lifestyle, and their beautiful memories and dreams feel like a distant symphony.
The chorus "Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence, And it beats to the sound of silence" captures the feeling of emptiness and loneliness when the person realizes that their loved one is not there with them. The lines "Getting hard to break through the madness, You're not here, it never makes sense" depict the struggle to cope without the person they long for. The line "No one here to save me drowning" represents the feeling of being alone in a difficult situation and wishing for someone to help or support them.
The song suggests that, despite the strength and capability of the person, they still feel incomplete and long for their loved one. The repetition of the chorus reflects the idea that the sound of silence is a constant reminder of their loneliness, and they can't help but call out for their loved one in vain. Overall, the song conveys a strong message about the importance of human connection and the pain of loneliness.
Line by Line Meaning
Growing tired and weary brown eyes
Feeling exhausted and drained, my eyes, which are typically a vibrant brown color, appear dull and sluggish.
Trying to feel your love through face time
Attempting to connect with your love, even if it's only through video chat or phone calls.
Symphonies of dreams and highlights
Vivid and sometimes wistful memories of happy moments are sometimes accompanied by a euphonious soundtrack.
Caught up in this crazy fast life
Feeling overwhelmed and possibly trapped in a hectic and demanding lifestyle.
But baby you're not here with me
Despite being constantly busy, the person I want to be with the most is not present.
And I keep calling, calling
Continually communicating and reaching out, hoping to connect and find comfort.
Keep calling 'cause
My yearning and longing for connection is so strong that I won't give up trying to make it happen.
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
After being in a constant state of ache and longing, the silence finally begins to feel more palpable than the noise.
And it beats to the sound of silence
My heart cannot help but sync up with the pervasive stillness around me.
Getting hard to break through the madness
Attempting to maintain a sense of balance amid chaos and stress is becoming more difficult.
You're not here it never makes sense
Without the person I love present, things don't quite add up in the same way.
Tidal waves of tears are crashing
Emotional turmoil feels overwhelming and inescapable.
No one here to save me drowning
Having no one around to support or help me persevere through difficult emotions.
'Cause baby you're not here with me
The source of my heartache and longing is always the same—missing the one I love.
I know I'm stronger and I'm capable
I am self-aware enough to know that I can handle difficult situations, even if it's not always easy.
I know it's all in my head
Even though I understand that my emotions are understandable but transient, it can be difficult to not fall prey to them.
But I keep calling, calling
My need to connect and find solace in someone else remains unwavering.
Calling, calling
Reaching out, hoping someone will answer the call.
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
Once again, the stillness is becoming more soothing than the noise around me.
And it beats to the sound of silence
My heart is attuned to the quiet, and can find solace in it.
And it beats to the sound of silence
The loneliness may be present, but there is power in finding solace in the silence.
Now my heart awakes to the sound of silence
Recognizing and accepting the power in stillness and calmness, and finding peace in the quiet.
And it beats to the sound of silence
My heart can finally find peace and calm in the midst of the chaos around me.
And it beats to the sound of silence
The silence, once unbearable, is now a welcome and soothing presence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTONIO FRANCESCO EGIZII, DAVID NICHOLAS MUSUMECI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexandriaa clark
Dami Im absolutely nailed it on this track, no doubt about it! That banger right here got me hyped like crazy, bangaa! I ain't even trippin' if Dami Im used AUTHENTIC VIEWS to get that mad exposure and get the ball rollin'. Truth is, plenty of other artists be doin' the same thing, Keep slayin' those beats!
Kęstutis Babilius
Just so you know, your song keeps playing on most of our radio stations in Lithuania. Even after all those years. You have such a great voice! Best wishes from Lithuania! 💗
Gustav Andersson
Both the Swedish jury and the public gave their twelve points to Dami. Sweden loves you! <3
Endless space.
Thankyou Sweden.
Based Battle Droid
Aussie here thank you Sweden we love you too!
S
Every year the same. Enough Sweden
Andreas K
@S bruh
Geoffrey Tobin
Sweden has much better taste than the robot phones.
Aaron Lopez
EUROVISION'S TRUE WINNER! QUEEN DAMI
OmgCandy
Yassss totally!