Darius

Born to two physicians, the velvety-voiced Darius Danesh rapidly climbed the ranks of Scottish pop. His first release, the single “Colourblind,” entered the British charts on July 29, 2002, holding the top position for two weeks and lingering in the Top Ten for six. Stage experience began at age four, when he appeared in a kindergarten production of Peter Pan -- The Musical; around the same period he fell under the spell of Extreme’s 1990 acoustic hit “More Than Words,” prompting his mother to buy him a guitar that he mastered without lessons. The first song he wrote himself was a Valentine’s gift for a girlfriend. A part in the Scottish Opera Company’s Covent Garden mounting of Carmen confirmed his determination to pursue a career in entertainment. While still at school he assembled the band Jade at sixteen and remained with the group until he moved to Edinburgh a year later to read English literature. National recognition arrived when he competed on the television series Popstars; weekly appearances made him one of Britain’s best-known young performers. Although several major labels extended contracts, he insisted on completing his third semester at Edinburgh University before signing anything. By the end of the academic year the earlier interest had evaporated and the offers were withdrawn. He returned to the screen on Pop Idol, where the first audition inspired him to write “Colourblind.” A friend played the track for Steve Lillywhite, U2’s producer and Mercury’s music director, who promptly secured Darius a five-album agreement with parent company Universal. Two singles preceded the November 2002 release of his debut album, Dive In. Further Pop Idol exposure followed: initially excluded from the final ten, he replaced an ailing contestant and finished third overall. His second album, Live Twice, appeared in early 2005.