Darren Hayes
(North-East Metro Paper, UK, September 27)
(Thanks Niki for sharing this)


Despite absconding from successful Australian pop outfit SG, who churned out international hits such as TMD, TTMAB and IWY, DH has maintained a steady profile thanks to his choirboy vocals and 1980's vibes. Both his singles, Insatiable and SR, made the Top 10, with Spin still skirting the album charts.

Queensland-born Hayes began a teaching career before meeting fellow Gardener DJ. The duo's self-titled 1997 album and its follow up, Affirmation, in 1999, sold in excess of 20 million copies. However, in 2000, they went their separate ways. "I am more of a performer", says Hayes, "while Daniel prefers to be in the studio. It was a wonderful period, but it was time to move on to the next phase."

If Spin signals a next phase, then it's only marginally different: his soprano warblings on love, obsession, deisre and sexual abandon sound like a cross between George Michael, Michael Jackson and, erm, SG.