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Darius Danesh

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Darius Danesh <tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:Lg img8.jpg
Darius Danesh, singer & songwriter
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Background information

<tr><td>Born</td><td colspan="2">August 19, 1980
Image:Flag of Scotland.svg Glasgow, Scotland</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Acoustic, Rock, Jazz</td></tr><tr><td>Occupation(s)</td><td colspan="2">Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Music Producer, Actor</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">2000 - Present</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 1em;">Label(s)</td><td colspan="2">19</td></tr><tr><th style="background: #f0e68c;" colspan="3">Notable instrument(s)</th></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3">Singing, Guitar, Piano, Saxophone, Violin</td></tr>

Darius Danesh (born August 19, 1980) is a Scottish/Persian<ref name="recordmag">The Record Music Magazine, January 2005</ref> singer-songwriter, well-known for being a runner-up of the British TV programme Pop Idol. His first, self-penned single, "Colourblind", entered the UK singles chart at number one, and his debut album went platinum under the guidance of Grammy-winning U2 producer Steve Lillywhite. Darius has had five UK Top Ten singles. He is managed by Simon Fuller.

Contents

[edit] Career

Darius Danesh's professional career began playing a ten-year-old Trojan boy in the Scottish Opera's avante garde 1990s production of "The Trojans". As a teenager he then toured with the Scottish Opera in a critically acclaimed production of "Carmen". After performing at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Darius faced the first of many career cross-roads. He chose to return to his studies in lieu of training his rich baritone voice for an Operatic career<ref name="arias">Daily Record, 7th December 2005</ref>.

While studying English Literature at Edinburgh University, a chance audition and promise of a record deal led Darius to fame on the television show Popstars. After reaching the final stages, Darius went on to audition for the show that was in a sense its successor, Pop Idol. He got through to the final rounds of Pop Idol, ultimately placing third<ref name="bigsmoke">The Big Smoke, 7th November 2005</ref>. However, he turned down Simon Cowell's million pound offer to sing cover songs<ref name="recordmag" />, and instead sent a self-composed track to his favourite producer in the hope of creating something original. Grammy-winning U2 producer Steve Lillywhite signed him to a five-album deal. In the summer of 2002, "Colourblind" became Darius' first number one single and that Christmas, his self-penned album Dive In went platinum<ref name="recordmag" />.

Over the next two years, Darius would go on to support Shakira in Paris on her World Tour<ref name="recordmag" />; complete his own sell-out UK tour; become an Ambassador for the Prince's Trust<ref name="trust">The Prince's Trust: Darius launches peace garden, July 2005</ref>; contribute to the War Child charity album<ref name="warchild">BBC News: Music stars unite for war charity, 14th October 2002</ref> with Coldplay and Oasis; write a no. 6 Sunday Times Best Seller book, "Sink or Swim"<ref name="sinkorswim">Times Online: This week's bestsellers, 7th September 2003</ref>; and headline in India with Alanis Morissette<ref name="immies">IndianTelevision.com: Alanis Morissette and Darius to stage at MTV Immies, 1st December 2004</ref> after his album went platinum there. After receiving news that his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer<ref name="lymphomaco">Lymphoma Coalition: 2005 Beacons of Hope</ref>, Darius wrote and dedicated his second studio album to Dr Booth Danesh, the man he calls his "hero"<ref name="recordmag" />. In 2005, the album's title-track "Live Twice" became Darius' fifth Top Ten single<ref name="bigsmoke" />. Amazingly, father Booth not only lived to see his son perform it at the Royal Albert Hall, but fought and beat his cancer into remission, echoing the song's lyrics.

Recently, Darius celebrated a five month sell-out West End run in Chicago<ref name="bigsmoke" /> and at 25, officially became the youngest actor ever to fill the role of Billy Flynn since the show first opened on Broadway in 1975, appearing in 121 shows without missing a performance. Off stage, Darius continues to work with the Lymphoma Association<ref name="lymphomaco" /> to raise awareness of one of the least understood and fastest growing cancers, and continues to work with underprivileged youth as a Prince's Trust Ambassador. He is currently writing for his third album in Los Angeles<ref name="blog">Official Darius Danesh blog, 12th July 2006</ref>.

[edit] Personal life

Darius was born in Glasgow and educated at Glasgow Academy. He then went on to study English and Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Both of his parents are doctors<ref name="recordmag" />, and he has two younger brothers. All three were named after Persian Kings.

He is currently dating and living with actress Natasha Henstridge. Henstridge said that she and Danesh met at a pedestrian crossing in Los Angeles<ref name="cavalli">Hello Magazine: Cavalli Vodka, 12th May 2006</ref>.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Image:Darius danesh dive in album.jpg

  • Dive In - 2nd December 2002 (Platinum)

Tracklisting:

  • Colourblind
  • Rushes
  • Incredible (What I Meant to Say)
  • Girl in the Moon
  • I'm Not Buying
  • Dive In
  • Gotta Know Tonight
  • Sliding Doors
  • Simple Like the Truth
  • Better Than That
  • Mockingbird
  • Mercury Rising
  • Gotta Know Tonight (songwriting demo)

Image:Darius danesh live twice album.jpg

  • Live Twice - 25th October 2004 (Gold)

Tracklisting:

  • Kinda Love
  • Live Twice
  • How Do You Like It?
  • Better Man
  • Resolution
  • Stars Crash Down
  • Save Me
  • If I Could
  • Only You
  • Love to Love
  • Journey's End
  • Devil in You
  • Secret Song

[edit] Singles

  • Colourblind
    • release date: 29th July 2002

    • highest UK chart position 1 (2 weeks)
  • Rushes
    • release date: 25th November 2002
    • highest UK chart position 5
  • Incredible (What I Meant To Say)
    • release date: 3rd March 2003
    • highest UK chart position 9
  • Girl in the Moon
    • release date: 9th June 2003
    • highest UK chart position 21
  • Kinda Love
    • release date: 18th October 2004
    • highest UK chart position 8
  • Live Twice
    • release date: 10th January 2005
    • highest UK chart position 7

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

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[edit] References

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