Darius World

RUSHES

ExpressIndia.com

Sink or swim, just dive in

Lalitha Suhasini Mumbai, 11 July 2003

He turned down a record deal with UK’s biggest reality television sensation Pop Idol to cut his debut album Dive In. It only worked to Darius Danesh’s advantage. His single Colour Blind from the album shot to the No 1 spot on the UK charts and was the most requested track at radio stations.

‘‘I didn’t want people telling me what to wear and how to sing,’’ says the 21-year-old singer, ‘‘I don’t feel bad about leaving Pop Idol. I learnt a lot from the best people in TV and promotions on the show, but I didn’t want just one stab at creativity, but a long time career in music.’’ In fact, he’s writing a book titled Sink or Swim based on the pop idol phenomenon.

They called him the ‘pop rebel’ on the show and when he broke into the music scene, Darius admits that his live acts have been described as ‘‘wild’’. ‘‘Somewhere between a Robbie Williams and an Enrique, I’ve been told,’’ he says. Darius also admits that he was blown away by Shakira’s performance during the world tour. ‘‘Now this is one lady I would love to collaborate with because she’s very sexual and an amazing performer,’’ he says, adding, ‘‘Alicia Keys is another singer I want to work with.’’ For more visual inspiration, Darius looks up to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Enrique’s Hero.

His music too has seized this wildness, though Darius confesses that his album is all about the women in his life. ‘‘Dive In is about being in love and heartbreak,’’ he says. Having produced his album in a record time of six months for a Christmas release, Darius admits that he was a complete control freak during Dive In. ‘‘Right from the music, the videos to the album inlay, it was my baby,’’ he says.

And are his tours on par with a rockstar’s wild streak? ‘‘Yes, there are a lot of late nights and late mornings, pubs, partying and waking up next to people you don’t know,’’ he chuckles. He’s also looking forward to touring in India. ‘‘I’m hungry to learn about different languages and cultures. Also, my brother had a great time in India, so I’m dying to get there. I’m also crazy about the Indian killer curries,’’ he enthuses.

Darius is also excited about releasing a Colour Blind remix. ‘‘It’ll be a R&B remix,’’ says the singer. And his next album should be out in November.