Darius World

Ulster pop diva gives Darius rushes

By Stephanie Bell
Sunday Life (NI) 9 March 2003

HEART-throb Darius has the hots for Ulster's new pop diva Sinead Quinn.

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Life, the Glaswegian hunk revealed he was so struck by Sinead, that he plans to ask her for a date.

"She is stunning," the star enthused.

"She has a great personality, a fantastic voice and is stunning looking.

"She is the salt of the earth - exactly the type of girl I would date, in fact I think I will invite her out for a drink next week."

Sinead left a lasting impression on Darius, when she went back stage to congratulate him on a gig, last week.

The Pop Idol, who launched his third single Incredible on Mercury Records this week, is due to kick-off his first "long dreamed-about" UK tour in Belfast on April 30.

He said: "I can't wait. It's what I've dreamed about since I was 16, so it's been six years in the making.

"I feel so lucky that the Belfast gig is nearly sold out, I really didn't expect the public to support me they way they are.

"I'm really looking forward to opening the tour in Northern Ireland."

Darius first visited Belfast in October, when he headlined the Big Buzz Award bash, in the Waterfront Hall.

It was his first experience of Ulster hospitality.

"Everything that is said about you guys being able to hold your drink is true," he joked.

"I had a great time, I had good crack and a few drinks, and my songs went down really well with the audience."

The 22-year-old made his mark on the nation with his show-stopping appearances on ITV's Pop Idol.

His good looks, charm, and unmistakable voice have catapulted him into the limelight, but despite his massive celebrity, Darius is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"I feel like I'm living a dream," he said.

"I wake up every morning and feel lucky to be doing what I love, it's not like work, it's a hobby."

His new single was produced by the LA-based threesome The Matrix, who Darius said was: "a privilege to work with".

This is his third single to be taken from his debut, platinum selling album Dive In, which was released on Mercury Records last December.

Working on the album left Darius with little spare time on his hands, but since its release, he says he has been "enjoying life as a bachelor".

He said: "If I had a choice between dating a celebrity or the girl next door, I would choose the girl next door.

"I love girls who are down to earth and who are passionate about something in their lives.

"Sinead is down to earth and passionate about her music."

Heart-throb's on cloud nine

DARIUS was just four-years-old, when his parents spotted his star potential. He said: "When I was four we did Peter Pan, the musical, at kindergarten. As a musical! That sounds so grandiose, and it really wasn't!

"But apparently my little voice bellowed out - that's how my mum describes it anyway.

"After that, I sang in choirs and musicals, and stuff at school, and learnt the saxophone and the piano."

Brought up on the sounds of The Beatles, George Michael, Alanis Morissette and Seal, Darius was around nine when he noticed the striking combination of a lone voice and acoustic guitar on More Than Words by Extreme, on the radio.

He promised to do the chores round the house for the rest of the year, if his mum would buy him a guitar.

She succumbed.

By Christmas that year Darius could play More Than Words himself.

Soon after, he wrote his first song.

"It was a Valentines present to this girl," he cringes. "It was a silly love song and I never got the girl either. So my songwriting was obviously up to no good back then!"

He wasn't deterred though, and continued writing songs.

Then while performing Carmen in Covent Garden with the Scottish opera, Darius realised his future lay in front of an audience.

"It was breathtaking," he reminisces. "A real landmark. I remember being on stage thinking 'one day...'."

At 16, he started and fronted a band called Jade at school, but it all came to nothing when university beckoned and Darius moved to Edinburgh to study English Literature.

"The game plan was to have a good time in my first and second year, then in my third and fourth year, I was going to record the stuff I was writing in a little home studio," he said.

"I saved up for an old cherry-red Gibson semi-acoustic, then one of my best mates dragged me to this radio audition and I won it."

Little did Darius know then, but the audition got him through to the first stage for a new TV programme, that would eventually be named Popstars.

When asked to leave in the final stages of the competition, Darius went back to his university, putting the whole thing down to experience.

When Popstars hit our TV screens six months later, Darius was suddenly offered various major label deals, but was persuaded by his university lecturers to finish the third year of his course.

He then heard about Pop Idol and the rest is history.

Despite his fantastic success, Darius says he has learnt, that while fame might come easy, creative fulfilment is worth holding out for.

"Overnight success is deceptive and can be dangerous," he said.

"For one, it's not really earned in sweat and in blood; for two, it's never fully appreciated, and for three, it doesn't point towards a long term career.

"Longevity is something important.

"I've got the fantastic privilege now of being able to release my own material, and express the words and melodies, that have haunted me in my sleep. I'm over the moon!"

'Quinn' two men love a woman

By Stephanie Bell

ULSTER singing sensation, Sinead Quinn, is at the centre of a tug-of-love!

Sunday Life can exclusively reveal that the Fermanagh beauty is about to be wooed by Pop Idol hunk, Darius.

The Glaswegian singer is so struck by the Ulster Fame Academy star, that he plans to ask her on a date.

Sinead has been linked romantically to fellow Fame Academy contestant, Malachi Cush.

The couple made headlines, when they shared a long, lingering kiss, in the �35 million Fame Academy mansion.

They have remained close, but have so far denied continued reports of a love affair.

Malachi has made no pretence of his strong feelings for Sinead.

But now, the Co Tyrone farmer is set to have a rival for the 22-year-old's affections.

Chart-topper Darius was extremely impressed by a recent meeting with Sinead.

And, in an exclusive interview with Sunday Life this week, he revealed his plans for romance.

"She is such a lovely girl, with a fantastic voice, and a brilliant personality," he enthused.

"She is the salt of the earth, the kind of girl I would date.

"In fact, I think I will invite her out for a drink this week."

Sinead, who returned home to Irvinestown last weekend, to spend some time with her family, was unavailable for comment this weekend.

The Fame Academy runner-up was given a �1 million record deal by Mercury, the same company who signed up Darius.

She is currently working on her first album for the label.