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If you’ve been watching Strictly Come Dancing this autumn, you’ll know Delta Goodrem is one of the couples to beat. What fewer viewers know is that the man cheering her on is the same one who plays guitar in her band, co-writes her songs and produces her records: her husband, Matthew Copley.
Copley has spent most of his career just off the edge of the spotlight, first in a Brisbane pop-rock band with a future Kygo collaborator, then as Goodrem’s guitarist and creative partner. Here’s what’s actually on the record about him, and what isn’t.
Matthew Copley Quick Facts
| Full name | Matthew Copley |
| Date of birth | Not officially published (some profiles say September 1986) |
| Nationality | Australian, with Maltese family heritage |
| Music roots | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Profession | Guitarist, songwriter and record producer |
| Former band | The Frets, later renamed Sons of Midnight (formed 2007) |
| Spouse | Delta Goodrem (married June 2025, Malta) |
| Engaged | September 2023, in Malta |
| Children | None publicly reported |
| Net worth | Not published |
| Known for | Co-writing and co-producing Delta Goodrem songs including “Keep Climbing” and “Solid Gold” |
From Brisbane: The Frets and Sons of Midnight
Copley’s story starts in Brisbane. According to Conrad Sewell’s Wikipedia entry, in 2007 Sewell and guitarist Matthew Copley formed a pop-rock group called The Frets. Three more members joined later, and the band changed its name to Sons of Midnight. The band’s own profile describes it as starting out as a duo, with the two of them playing local Brisbane gigs while they were still at school.
Sons of Midnight released their debut single, “The Fire”, in 2012 and a self-titled album in 2013. Then they went quiet. Sewell’s entry says the band disappeared from public view shortly before a planned second album. Sewell went on to bigger things as a solo artist, most famously writing and featuring on Kygo’s 2014 hit “Firestone”. Copley went in a different direction: into session work, songwriting and, eventually, Delta Goodrem’s band.
Meeting Delta Goodrem Through Music
Copley and Goodrem met through work. “He’s my guitarist, I met him through music,” she told The Australian Women’s Weekly in 2023. Exactly when they got together depends on who you ask. Goodrem’s Wikipedia biography says they’ve been in a relationship since late 2016, while several Australian outlets, including Marie Claire Australia, say late 2017, after they met on tour.
Either way, they kept the relationship fairly low-key for years, especially compared with Goodrem’s earlier, very public relationships.
His Songwriting and Production Credits
This is where Copley’s name is easiest to find, because it’s printed on the records. He isn’t just in Goodrem’s band. He’s one of her main collaborators.
- “Keep Climbing” (May 2020): written by Goodrem, Copley and Sebastian Kole, and produced by Goodrem, Copley and Mark Rankin. It reached number 6 on Billboard’s Australia Digital Song Sales chart.
- “Solid Gold” (September 2020): written by Goodrem, Copley and Marla Altschuler, and produced by Goodrem, Copley and Rankin, from the album Bridge over Troubled Dreams.
- “Back to Your Heart” (August 2023): written by Goodrem, John Shanks and Copley. It was her first single on her own label, ATLED Records, after leaving Sony Music, and it went to number 1 on Australia’s independent chart.
The credits for both “Keep Climbing” and “Solid Gold” are listed on their Wikipedia pages. It’s an unusual setup for a celebrity couple: they don’t just share a house, they share a studio.
A Proposal in Malta
Copley proposed in Malta in September 2023. The location wasn’t random: his family has roots there. Goodrem announced it on Instagram with the caption “My best friend asked me to marry him”, alongside a sunset photo of the two of them, a video of the proposal spot set up with violinists and rose petals, and a close-up of the ring. She described doing it in the place his family comes from as “beautiful and special”.
The 2025 Wedding
The couple married in Malta in June 2025. They didn’t announce the details themselves. According to New Idea, as reported by The Nightly, the ceremony is believed to have taken place on 16 June 2025, with a beach club celebration the following day. Guests reportedly included Goodrem’s mother Lea and brother Trent, TV presenter Richard Wilkins and his son Christian, and presenter Renee Bargh.
The reports noted both of them wearing new wedding bands at the celebration. Goodrem’s Wikipedia biography now lists the marriage as June 2025 in Malta.
Delta Goodrem on Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Goodrem joined the 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing, which launched on 19 September 2026, and was paired with professional Kai Widdrington. She’s made a flying start. After scoring 29 in the first week, the pair got a perfect 30 in Movie Week for an American Smooth to “I’ll Never Love Again” from A Star Is Born, putting them top of the leaderboard on 59. Head judge Shirley Ballas called her “a force to be reckoned with”, according to The Irish News.
It falls in the middle of a busy music year. Goodrem’s eighth album, Pure, has been preceded by the singles “Hologram” (June 2026) and “Warrior” (August 2026). Its release date has moved: Wikipedia currently gives February 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Delta Goodrem’s husband?
Delta Goodrem’s husband is Matthew Copley, an Australian guitarist, songwriter and producer who plays in her band. They married in Malta in June 2025.
When did Delta Goodrem marry Matthew Copley?
They married in Malta in June 2025. New Idea reported that the ceremony took place on 16 June 2025.
How did Delta Goodrem and Matthew Copley meet?
They met through music. Copley is Goodrem’s guitarist, and she has said, “He’s my guitarist, I met him through music.”
How old is Matthew Copley?
His date of birth hasn’t been officially published. Some profiles say he was born in September 1986, but that isn’t confirmed.
Do Delta Goodrem and Matthew Copley have children?
No children have been publicly reported.
What songs has Matthew Copley written?
He co-wrote Delta Goodrem’s “Keep Climbing”, “Solid Gold” and “Back to Your Heart”, and co-produced “Keep Climbing” and “Solid Gold”.
Was Matthew Copley in a band?
Yes. In 2007 he formed The Frets with Conrad Sewell in Brisbane. The band later became Sons of Midnight and released an album in 2013.
Who is Delta Goodrem’s Strictly partner?
Delta Goodrem is partnered with Kai Widdrington on Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
What Remains Unverified
- His date of birth and birthplace. Profiles give 9 or 10 September 1986, and one wedding report gave his age as 38 in June 2025, but none of these is an official source. His music career started in Brisbane, but we haven’t found a confirmed birthplace.
- When the relationship started. Late 2016 according to Wikipedia, late 2017 according to several Australian outlets.
- The exact wedding date. 16 June 2025 comes from New Idea. The couple haven’t confirmed it publicly.
- A role at ATLED Records. Some profiles call him a vice president of Goodrem’s label. We couldn’t find that in an official source.
- Touring history. One report says Sons of Midnight toured with Simple Plan and Avril Lavigne. We couldn’t confirm it independently.
- Net worth. Not published. Any figure you see online is a guess.
Final Thoughts
Matthew Copley is the opposite of a celebrity spouse who’s famous for being married. He’s a working musician who went from a school-days duo in Brisbane to co-writing and producing one of Australia’s best-known pop stars, and he married her on the island his family comes from. While Delta Goodrem tops the Strictly leaderboard, he’s the one who knows better than anyone how much work goes into making it look effortless.
