- Darius Danesh
Infobox musical artist
Name = Darius Danesh
Img_capt = Darius Danesh, singer-songwriter & actor
Background = solo_singer
Born = Birth date and age|1980|8|19|mf=y
Glasgow ,Scotland
Genre = Acoustic, Rock,Jazz
Occupation =Singer ,Songwriter ,Actor ,Musician , Music Producer
Years_active = 2000 - Present
Label = 19
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/dariusdanesh Official MySpace]
Notable_instruments =Singing ,Guitar ,Piano ,Saxophone ,Violin Darius Danesh (PerB|داريوش دانش, born
19 August 1980 inGlasgow ,Scotland ) is a platinum-selling recording artist,songwriter , and West End stageactor . He rose to fame on the BritishTV talent show "Pop Idol ".His first, self-penned single "Colourblind" entered the
UK singles chart at number one, and hisdebut album went platinum under the guidance of producerSteve Lillywhite . He has had five UK Top Ten singles and he is managed bySimon Fuller .His theatre work has included two West End runs in the musical "Chicago" playing Billy Flynn; starring as Sky Masterson in the Olivier Award winning "
Guys and Dolls "; and originating the role ofRhett Butler inTrevor Nunn ’s musical adaptation of "Gone With The Wind".Biography
Early life
Danesh's professional career began playing a ten-year-old Trojan boy in the
Scottish Opera 'savante garde 1990s production of "The Trojans ". As a teenager he then toured with theScottish Opera in a critically acclaimed production of "Carmen ". [http://london.broadway.com/story/id/3009385 Broadway.com] ]Music career
While studying
English Literature andPhilosophy at Edinburgh University, he auditioned for thetelevision show "Popstars ", reaching the final stages. In 2001 he auditioned for "Pop Idol ", where he was voted third. After the series final, he turned downSimon Cowell 's offer to sing cover songs, and instead sent a self-composed track to producerSteve Lillywhite who signed him to a five-album deal. In 2002 "Colourblind" became Darius' first number one single and his self-penned album "Dive In " went platinum. [http://www.therecordmag.com/jan2005/darius.htm The Record Music Magazine, January 2005] ]Darius went on to support
Shakira inParis on her World Tour and completed his own sell-out UKDive In Tour . He contributed to the War Child charity album [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2321151.stm BBC News: Music stars unite for war charity, 14 October 2002] ] withColdplay and Oasis and headlined inIndia withAlanis Morissette [http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/headlines/y2k4/dec/decmam5.htm IndianTelevision.com: Alanis Morissette and Darius to stage at MTV Immies, 1 December 2004] ] after his album went platinum there. He also wrote a no. 6 Sunday Times Best Seller book, "Sink or Swim".After receiving news that his father was diagnosed with terminal
cancer , he wrote and dedicated his second studio album "Live Twice" to Dr Booth Danesh. In 2005, the album's title-track "Live Twice" became his fifth Top Ten single. [http://thebigsmokex.blogspot.com/2005/11/interview-with-darius.html The Big Smoke, 7 November 2005] ] A third studio album is planned which he has been writing and recording inLondon andLos Angeles .Theatre work
Danesh had two West End runs in "Chicago" during 2005-2006, and at 25, officially became the youngest actor to fill the role of Billy Flynn since the show first opened on Broadway in 1975.
In 2007 he starred as Sky Masterson in
Michael Grandage 's Olivier Award winning production of "Guys and Dolls ". [http://guysanddollsthemusical.com/tour/ Guys And Dolls the Musical] ] . Later that year he reprised his role of Billy Flynn for the 10th Anniversary charity performance of "Chicago" in London, to benefit the charitiesBreast Cancer Haven and Breast Health Institute. [http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/news/display?contentId=96961 Official London Theatre Guide] ]In 2008 Danesh returned to London's West End to originate the role of
Rhett Butler in SirTrevor Nunn 's musical adaptation of "Gone With The Wind". [http://www.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=207&story=E8821201859410 Darius Danesh Is Gone with the Wind Rhett Butler] ] Reviews for the production were overwhelmingly negative [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/article-23480296-details/Can,+my+dear,+Gone+With+The+Wind+survive/article.do Can, my dear, Gone With The Wind survive?] ] , and it closed in June 2008, a few weeks after opening [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7430135.stm Gone with the Wind show to close] ] . Despite this, the cast received some praise for their performances. Paul Taylor of "The Independent " said: "The diabolically dashing Darius Danesh brings a seductively insolent charm, a dark velvet voice and a genuine fugitive pathos to the cynical blockade runner." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7362344.stm Ovation for Darius's Rhett Butler] ] .Charity work
Danesh works with the
Lymphoma Association and also as a Prince's Trust Ambassador, working with underprivileged youth. He supports a campaign by human rights groupAmnesty International to protest against injustice. [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=a-dougray-of-hope-for-future-&method=full&objectid=18553516&siteid=66633-name_page.html Daily Record 31 January 2007] ] He has also designed a guitar for Guitar Aid to raise funds and stimulate communities in some of the world's poorest countries. [http://www.dariusmusic.net/guitaraid/index.html Guitar Aid: The Darius Guitar] ]Personal life
Danesh was born in
Glasgow , toIranian father, Dr Booth Danesh, and Scottish mother, Dr Avril Danesh. He has two younger brothers, Aria and Cyrus. Educated at theGlasgow Academy , he then went on to study English Literature and Philosophy at Edinburgh University. Danesh's long-term partner is Canadian actressNatasha Henstridge of "Species" fame. [citeweb|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity-interviews/2008/04/14/fatherhood-a-priority-for-gone-with-the-wind-star-darius-danesh-86908-20382429/|title=Fatherhood A Priority For Gone With The Wind Star Darius Danesh|publisher=Daily Record|date=April 14 2008|accessdate=2008-04-21]Discography
*"
Dive In " (2002)
*"Live Twice" (2004)ee also
*
List of Scots
*List of famous Glaswegians
*List of Scottish musicians References
* Danesh, Darius. "Darius, Sink or Swim, My Story". ISBN 0-7553-1281-3
External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/dariusdanesh Official MySpace]
*dmoz|Arts/Music/Bands_and_Artists/D/Danesh,_Darius/|Darius Danesh
*imdb name|id=0199421|name=Darius Danesh
* [http://www.guitar-aid.com/darius.html Guitar Aid] - The Darius Guitar
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.