Natalie Imbruglia News

The Aussie popster has split from her rocker husband, Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns, after four years of couplehood.

They announced the demise of their marriage in a joint statement Friday, chalking up the breakup to "career demands."

"While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable, and we remain friends," they said. "This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly.

"However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us.

"We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together."

Apparently, it didn't help matters that Imbruglia, 32, primarily resides in England, while Johns and his band are headquartered Down Under.

The couple married in their native Australia on New Year's Eve in 2003 in Queensland before an all-star audience of Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce and Virgin boss Richard Branson.

Imbruglia, who has never been able to repeat the success of her 1997 Grammy-nominated international smash Left of the Middle and its inescapable single, "Torn," and Johns, whose band scored a major hit with its 1995 debut, Frogstomp, asked that the tabs lay off.

"We will not be making any further public statements whatsoever in regard to this very private matter [and] politely ask that people respect our sincere wishes in this regard."