Singer-songwriter Darren Hayes has paid a sweet tribute to icon Kate Bush, as he opened up about his return to music after a 10 year break.
Savage Garden singer and solo artist Darren will return to the UK for the Do You Remember Tour in 2023 – his first concerts in the country in over a decade
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star, Darren discussed his break from music, achieving a lifelong dream on his new album and how a performance by Kate Bush became a pivotal moment in his life.
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Award-winning songwriter Darren Hayes rose to fame as one part of duo Savage Garden, whose hits include Truly, Madly, Deeply, I Want You and To The Moon And Back.
(Image: Redferns via Getty Images)
Selling over 30 million records through his career, which included solo hits Insatiable and Crush (1980 Me), Darren took a break from music in 2012, saying: “I’d been working steadily from the very beginning of Savage Garden, all the way through until I was 40, and the short story is, I was just burnt out.”
During this time, Darren also moved to Los Angeles with his husband, where he studied improvisation and acting classes, as well as writing a musical, adding: “To have 10 years away when I’ve done so many things outside of music, I feel invigorated and excited.
(Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“I just did all these other things that gave me stuff to write music about and made me excited about music.”
He also revealed that one visit to the UK to watch Kate Bush in concert became a pivotal and inspirational moment in his career during his break from music too.
Paying a sweet tribute to Kate Bush, who he described as “amazing”, Darren said: “The other thing was seeing Kate Bush in concert.
(Image: FISH PEOPLE/AFP via Getty Images)
“In the 10 years I was away, that was the one time I came back to England. I flew back just to see Kate, and it really reminded me that artists are always artists.
“It doesn’t matter how long you take to come back, I just needed time. That really reminded me of, when I’m ready, I’ll be ready.”
Darren has since made a return to live performance with an incredible concert in Sydney, Australia earlier this year, with the singer describing the moment as like “a teenagers dream of being a popstar again.”
(Image: ABC tv/ YouTube)
“After 10 years of being away, before I performed at Mardi Gras, I was terrified obviously,” said Darren.
“I was so relieved once I Want You started, and there was this roar of recognition of that song. That’s all I really needed. I was like, you’re with me.
“It felt like a teenager’s dream of being a popstar again – to perform on that scale at the Sydney Cricket Ground.”
(Image: DARREN HAYES RETURNS WITH FIRST NEW MUSIC IN TEN YEARS, ‘LET’S TRY BEING IN LOVE’)
Fans can now enjoy hits from Darren’s 25 years in music on the Do You Remember Tour, which visits the UK from March-April 2023, with the singer promising a fun, emotional and “cheeky” show.
Darren said: “I want people to come to this show and get exactly what they’re expecting, which is a huge feeling of greatest hits.
“I want people to know, these are going to be the memories you remember. At the same time, we want to put on a show.”
(Image: ABC tv/ YouTube)
Working with show designer Willy Williams, who works with artists including Self Esteem and U2, as well as Darren since his days with Savage Garden, Darren said: “It’s going to be fun, very emotional and cheeky.
“There’s one section of the show, in terms of nostalgia and recognition factor, I just want it to be relentless.”
Darren also hinted at a new record on its way later this year, following the release of singles including Let’s Try Being In Love, Do You Remember? and Poison Blood.
Describing making the music videos as his “favourite part of this process,” the video for Poison Blood pays homage to Princes’ When Doves Cry, with Darren saying: “They’re little clues to musically what inspired me.”
He also paid a sweet nod to Prince too, as he reflected on achieving a lifelong dream on his upcoming album – over 25 years since the release of his first album with Savage Garden.
“I can tell you that when I was kid I turned over the back of a Prince record, and on the back it said – Produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince.
“It took me until I was 50 to be able to do that myself, and on this coming record, it says that on the back of mine. I am so proud of that.
“It really is a body of work. Like a film or a symphony, it’s an album experience and I’m so excited for people to hear that.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
