Vocal sensation Dami Im has connected with her humanitarian side following her second place finish at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.
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“I’ve been in Uganda visiting my six-year-old sponsor child Jovia in Kampala,” the 27-year-old singer and songwriter said ahead of a Club Sapphire stop over as part of her Classic Carpenters album national tour.
“There were so many kids there living in the slums who don’t get the chance to go to school.
“The slum is horrific with sewerage flowing right through the children’s play area.”
She became very close to the children during her time there, even hosting a small concert.
“I sang them songs and they performed for me as well,” she said.
The fifth-season X Factor Australia winner first started sponsoring children when she was just 17.
“I started sponsoring with my music teaching pocket money and made my boyfriend at the time sponsor, who is now my husband, when he couldn’t really afford it,” she said.
“After X-Factor we visited India in 2014 and it was there I saw the work the charity Compassion were doing was really working.”
Surrounded by her parent’s instruments as a child it was only inevitable Im would eventually tinkle the ivories.
“Mum said I kept sitting at the piano pretending to play so she started to give me lessons,” she said with a laugh.
The popular singer kept her vocal talents hidden for many years before feeling the confidence to share them with the world.
“I started to sing as a teenager in my bedroom and it wasn’t until I was older I felt I could perform in front of anyone,” she said.
“I’m an introvert but I really wanted to perform in front of people.”
Being thrust into the public eye via reality television has taught Im much about herself.
“I learned that you never know what you’re capable of until you push yourself,” she said.
“I think people like seeing a non-extrovert person opening up because they are used to big personalities showing off.”