Darren Hayes
(Pop World Magazine, UK - March 23)



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What have you been up to since the last Savage Garden single?
Oh Gosh! It took a year to record this album, so I’ve spent a year in San Francisco where I live, just writing songs. The last show with Savage Garden was in Cape Town in 2000, and I spent 2001 in the studio, and now here I am!

Tell us about your solo debut…
The single’s called ‘Insatiable’ and it’s from my album, Spin. It’s pretty saucy…well, if you’ve seen the video, it’s pretty romantic. It’s about having unquenchable desire for someone-which I often do!

Are you Insatiable?
I’m insatiable for everything! For food, for love, for chocolate, for this magazine…whatever!

You’ve had quite a few image changes…
Yeah, and my latest one is just me. It’s funny how much drama has been caused by my hair. I dyed it black for years, and so many people have been freaked out by the fact that this is what I actually I look like!

Describe your music…
It’s electronic pop music. I think this particular album has an R&B edge. You can tell I grew up listening to a lot of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, that kind of thing.

What do you think of British pop acts like Westlife and Blue?
I don’t really listen to that kind of music, like Westlife or whatever. I think I saw one of their videos the other day, where they play gangsters or something. That was kinda cool. It’s not really my bag, but it’s OK.

Do you miss working with Daniel?
I’ve only just stopped. We worked together for nine years, so at the moment it’s really refreshing.

Will it ever feel strange?
I think that when I’m on stage, doing a Savage Garden song-which I will do eventually when I tour-it will feel strange, ‘cos I’m so used to my having my co-pilot there. But at the moment it feels like, y’know, when you start school-it’s a bit scary, but it’s kind of exciting too!

Is being solo better, or worse?
I don’t know. I’m just beginning, but so far it’s pretty good.

Is Aussie pop set to take over the world?
Well, there are a lot of Australians succeeding at the moment, especially in films-I know that the Australians kicked butt at the Golden Globe Awards! And Kylie’s doing really well in America for the first time in ages. Yeah, I think that we try harder because we’re so easily forgotten about by the time you hear about us. We’ve been fighting to get out there, so that’s probably what you’re experiencing right now.