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Determined Darius reaps rewards
By Diana EcclestonicSurreyOnline 24 July 2003
He may not have won either of the televised talent shows he entered, but that hasn't kept Darius from collecting some fame along the way. Diana Eccleston chatted with the pop idol about new albums and his upcoming concert in Epsom.
The last 18 months have been an absolute whirlwind for Darius Danesh. He's gone from life as an ordinary university undergraduate studying for an English Literature degree to being one of the UK's best-known pop stars.
His dishy, dark good looks have made him a pin-up. Fans plaster their bedroom walls with all his latest posters. And they buy his records in their hundreds of thousands. His debut single Colourblind went straight into the charts at number one and, during its first week, kept Britney Spears and George Michael off the top spot. The second week it was Coldplay.
He followed it up with top-10 singles Incredible and Girl in the Moon, all taken from his album Dive In.
Fame came rapidly for Darius, the Scottish boy named after a Persian king, who isn't 23 until August 19. He always believed success would come his way: he just didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
As anyone even vaguely interested in pop music will know, Darius made his first appearance in front of the TV viewing public on Pop Stars, the quest to find a group of singers to form a band.
Back then he was regarded by many as something of a joke, with his long hair, goatee beard and Britney cover version. He didn't make it through to the band. But Darius didn't lose his determination to find musical fame. And the fans didn't forget him.
With a sexy new image, he plunged into the musical madness which was Pop Idol and impressed the nation with his vocal virtuosity. Will Young may have won the contest, with baby-faced Gareth Gates second, but Darius's very creditable third place paved the way which to a recording contract and stardom.
Now he's so in demand that he can call his own tune. He's even appeared in the soap Hollyoaks, as himself. "It was very flattering to be asked to appear as myself and it was huge fun," he says.
He's enjoying a jet set life, and as we speak he'd just flown back from the States where he'd been "doing lots of work and having some play" in Los Angeles and Florida.
The work aspect involves writing and recording songs for his up-coming album, which is due out around the last week of October and is as yet unnamed. "I've no idea what it will be called and I'm still writing the songs."
He's pleased with the way they are going, but says he won't be trying any of them out on fans when he plays a special after-racing gig at Epsom Racecourse next week. "It'll be the first time I've played a race course and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be doing numbers from Dive In."
Darius got bitten young by the music bug. He was brought up on the sounds of The Beatles, George Michael, Alanis Morisette and Seal. He fell in love with the sound of solo voice and acoustic guitar and, when he was nine, promised his mum that he'd do all the chores around the house for the rest of the year if she would buy him a guitar.
He did - and she rewarded him with the guitar, which he used to compose his first song. It was a Valentine's gift: "A silly love song and I never got the girl, so my songwriting was obviously no good back then," he remembers.
Music continued to be very important to the teenage Darius and he decided early on that he wanted to make it his career. So when fame beckoned via Pop Stars and Pop Idol he found it impossible to resist their temptations.
He chucked in his university course without finishing the final year. "I never did my finals but I graduated with an honorary degree, so I was very lucky. I can't regret not finishing the course because the last 18 months have been incredible. I had to make a decision between music and finishing the degree, and music wouldn't wait.
"I think I will return to studying one day in the future. I miss being a student: the lifestyle, having lots of time to yourself, the social life, the opportunity to learn, being on the receiving end of so much fascinating information."
Darius is recognised wherever he goes now. Does he sometimes miss the anonymity? "No, I love it when people recognise me for my music. It gives me a buzz. I've got very loyal fans, very excitable, very interested and very supportive."
As well as busily getting songs together for the new album, his other major focus is his book, due out in September.
He signed a reputed £100,000 deal to write it, but is keen to quash any rumours that it is an autobiography. "I'm only 22 so it's not an autobiography: it's revealing the reality behind reality TV, the story behind Pop Stars and Pop Idol."
But he's keeping the contents a closely guarded secret and declines a request to reveal any tempting snippets of gossip. "It's not an expose, just an honest account. You'll have to wait until it comes out to read it," he laughs.
Darius has very strong family roots and clearly has his feet planted firmly on the ground. He's been offered cocaine many times since he hit the big time and always had the sense to say no.
He's conscious of his responsibility as a role model to his young fans and thinks it is important to set a good example. "I've been offered drugs loads of times but I've always turned them down. Things like that just turn my stomach. I owe it to myself and, more importantly, to my parents who've supported me throughout my whole life."
His common sense also ensured that he held out for the recording contract he wanted and didn't impulsively accept the first one he was offered.
After Pop Idol, when it became obvious that this talented young singer-songwriter had a great future, he was offered deals by the contest judges Pete Waterman and Simon Cowell. But he turned them both down because he wanted to work with Steve Lillywhite of Mercury Records.
Lillywhite was living in LA at the time, oblivious to Pop Idol and Darius Danesh. But when he heard a rough tape of songs which Darius had written he offered him a deal with Mercury straight away.
Fame has also meant Darius can have his pick of lovely ladies and the gossip columns are not slow at linking him with someone new practically every week.
So, what does the future hold? More writing and singing are what Darius is intent on.
He's already turned down the chance to screen test for a major Hollywood film and has no desire just now to move into TV presenting or West End musicals as other fully fledged pop stars have done.
He's got a promotional tour for the new album in the pipeline and will be up and down the country doing book signings too. "I want to meet a lot of people and autograph a lot of books for them," he says in that famous seductive voice.
And the best news is that he's promised to tell his publishers that he wants to do one book signing in Croydon. So, Darius fans, watch this space!