The singer who dared to say no to Russell Crowe
(Sunday Express, July 7)


[Picture captioned REGULAR GUY: Despite his success, Darren Hayes avoids celeb parties in adopted home town, San Francisco.]

You've got to hand it to Darren Hayes. In contrast to most pop singers who whinge about loss of privacy – while happily attending the opening of an envelope – this star shuns the limelight.

Born in Australia, where he can't even go to the fridge without being mobbed by fans, the former Savage Garden frontman now lives quietly in San Francisco. He could walk around with a T-shirt saying "Look at me, I'm Darren Hayes" and no one would bat an eyelid.

Nor does he hang out in showbiz circles. When fellow Australian Russell Crowe invited him to an Oscar party in Hollywood, Darren preferred to stay at home and watch the show on TV with a couple of mates.

And when Christopher Ciccone, brother of Madonna, invited him to a bash where Madge was guest of honour, Darren’s answer was a polite "No thanks".

The strange thing is he’s a huge fan of Madonna. "But that’s precisely why I wouldn’t want to hang out with her," he explains. "Do I really want to know she's a regular person with moods just like me? I'd rather preserve the mystique."

Hollywood actress Meg Ryan recently said she was no good at being famous. "I know exactly what she meant," said Hayes. "To be a good celebrity you need to have a burning desire to be in the papers every day. If I've got a record coming out, I want people to hear about it but that's as far as it goes."

Needless to say, he does have a record coming out this week. Strange Relationship is taken from his debut solo album Spin – a huge seller in the UK and Australia, but not in America. He's perversely glad about this as it means he can step outside his front door without being noticed.

I know from research that he won't talk about his love life or the rumour that he’s gay so I try a sneakier route. "Is Strange Relationship about anyone in particular?" I enquire, hoping he'll let something slip.

He flashes a good-natured "don’t push it" grin. "Oh God, it’s about everyone in particular. It’s about every relationship I’ve had, and not just the sexual or romantic ones."

Other lyrics on Spin are less cryptic – we learn that he hates art house films, loves Spielberg and is no match for Britney Spears on the dancefloor – but they’re not to be taken seriously. "I enjoy hiding behind metaphors," says Hayes.

The singer can be earnest one minute, and then slip off into a wicked impersonation of Donatella Versace the next. Now he's serious again.

"Some songs are about the real me, others aren't. If I only wrote about my own experiences I’d end up making a Pet Shop Boys record – you know, boring."

There's nothing boring about a day with Darren, even though he won't dish the dirt on the Savage Garden split. (He had said that Daniel Jones – the quieter half of the hugely successful band – wanted out of the public eye.) Darren's decision to go solo was vindicated when the single Insatiable made its debut in the UK Top 10 but he admits he was scared.

"Oh man, I was terrified. It's like, if you've only had one relationship, how do you know you're good in bed? I didn't know if I was a good songwriter away from Savage Garden."

Hayes recently turned 30, although yoga, sensible eating and moderate drinking keep him looking much younger. "I've always felt older than my real age," he says. "In this business, you grow up quickly. I started at 18 so I never had the wild time most teenagers have. Turning 30 was a relief because I was finally the age I felt inside."

He's accustomed to selling out arenas with Savage Garden, but Darren will be playing smaller venues when he embarks on his first solo British tour in September. "I have to be humble and not bite off more than I can chew," he says.

"In many ways, I'm a brand new artist. I'm not Darren from Savage Garden any more and I can't be complacent. I have to win people over."

Then he can return to America, kick off his shoes and be a normal bloke again.

And if Russell Crowe or Madonna call, he probably won't even pick up the phone.

Strange Relationship is out tomorrow on Columbia records. The album Spin is out now. For tour info, call 0871 220 0260 or see www.gigsandtours.com