Darin (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darin
Darin in 2020
Background information
Birth name	Darin Zanyar
Born	(1987-06-02) 2 June 1987 (age 38) Stockholm, Sweden
Genres	Pop, R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Dex Music (Sweden), Sony Music, EMI Germany, Universal Music
Associated acts	Kat DeLuna, Eagle Eye Cherry, Lil Jon

Darin Zanyar (born 2 June 1987), known as Darin, is a pop singer and songwriter from Sweden. He became famous after being on the TV show Idol. Darin has released nine studio albums, and eight of them have reached number one in Sweden. This makes him one of Sweden's most successful music artists. His newest album, En annan jag, came out in 2023.

Darin's Journey in Music

Early Life and Dreams

Darin was born in Stockholm, Sweden. His parents are from Iraqi Kurdistan. He grew up in a family that loved music and started singing when he was very young. Some of his biggest inspirations were famous artists like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston. When he was 14, a music producer discovered him after he performed at school. This led him to start writing and recording his own songs.

Becoming a Star: Idol and First Albums (2004–2005)

Darin became well-known in 2004 when he joined the first season of Swedish Idol. He was only 16 years old. He quickly became a favorite on the show. Even though he finished as the runner-up, he was signed by SonyBMG the very next day!

In February 2005, his first album, The Anthem, was released. It quickly went to number one on the Swedish music charts. His first single, "Money for Nothing", was written by the artist Robyn and also went straight to number one. Darin became very popular in Sweden, and people often called him "The perfect popstar."

Later that same year, Darin released his second album, which was simply called Darin. This album also reached number one. It was his first album to be released outside of Sweden, including in Finland. Darin worked with a producer named RedOne on this album. They released the hit song "Step Up", which stayed on the charts for a long time.

New Music and International Steps (2006–2009)

In 2006, Darin won "Song of the Year" at the Swedish Grammis awards for "Money for Nothing". He also released a concert DVD. In November 2006, his third album, Break the News, came out and debuted at number one.

Darin in 2009

In 2007, Darin signed a deal with EMI Germany to release his music in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

In 2008, Darin started working on his fourth album, Flashback, again with RedOne. This album reached number 10 in Sweden. It included the song "Breathing Your Love", which was a duet with American singer Kat DeLuna. Another song, "What If", was released to help a Swedish anti-bullying charity.

In 2009, Darin performed at Melodifestivalen 2009. He also sang a cover of Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" on Idol. His version became a number one hit in Sweden, even more successful than Coldplay's original song there!

Big Hits and TV Shows (2010–2013)

In 2010, Darin took part in Melodifestivalen 2010 again with his song "You're Out of My Life" and finished in 4th place.

In August 2010, Darin released his album Lovekiller. This album also went to number one in Sweden and quickly became a gold record. It included popular songs like "Lovekiller" and "Microphone".

In 2012, Darin released the song "Nobody Knows". Later that year, he appeared on the TV show Så mycket bättre. On the show, artists sing their own versions of other artists' songs. Darin sang six songs, and they all became top 10 hits on iTunes at the same time!

In January 2013, Darin's sixth album, Exit, was released. It went straight to number one, making it his fifth album to do so. Darin worked with famous producers in the US for this album. In May 2013, he performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö. He also traveled to the Philippines for a documentary called En resa för livet to help raise money for children in need.

Swedish Songs and His Own Company (2014–2016)

Darin in 2012

In 2014, Darin started writing songs in Swedish for the first time. He was inspired by recording a tribute song in a famous studio where ABBA also recorded their music.

In March 2015, Darin released "Ta mig tillbaka", his first single in Swedish. It was a personal song about his childhood. This song became a huge hit, going 4 times platinum and becoming the most streamed Swedish song that year.

His Swedish album, Fjärilar i magen, was released in September 2015 by his own record company, Dex Music. It became his sixth number one album in Sweden.

More Swedish Success and Arena Tours (2017–2019)

In March 2017, Darin released "Ja må du leva" ("May you live"). He said the song was about celebrating life and focusing on what makes you happy.

In September, he released two more songs, "Alla ögon på mig" ("All eyes on me") and "Tvillingen" ("The Twin"). "Tvillingen" was also the name of his second Swedish album, released in November. This album became his seventh number one album.

In 2018, Darin went on a concert tour. In October, he announced his first arena tour in Sweden for 2019, performing in big venues like Globen in Stockholm.

New Music and International Recognition (2020–Present)

In February 2020, Darin released "En säng av rosor" ("A Bed of Roses"). This song was very simple, with just vocals, guitar, and cello. It became a top hit and was streamed over 45 million times.

In 2021, Darin's concert from Ericsson Globe was shown on TV. He also won "LGBTQ person of the year" and "Song of the year" for "En säng av rosor" at the QX Gaygalan Awards. The song also became a hit in Spain after being featured in a TV show there.

Darin started to become popular in Italy in 2022 with his song "Can’t Stay Away". It became one of the most played songs on Italian radio. He then released "Superstar", a disco-inspired song, which also became a big hit in Italy. Darin even performed for the Vatican and met Pope Francis!

In May 2023, Darin released "Starkare" ("Stronger"), the first single from his upcoming album En annan jag. He said the song was a comfort during tough times. It became the most played song on Swedish radio.

In the summer of 2023, Darin had a special concert at Skansen in Stockholm, which was broadcast live on TV. He also released his 50th single, "Satellit" ("Satellite"). In September 2023, Darin released his ninth studio album, En annan jag, which reached number one.

On March 22, 2024, Darin released "Electric". This song was added to BBC Radio 2's New Music Playlist in the UK and was his first single to chart there. On May 24, 2024, he released "Moonlight", which he wrote with English singer Conor Maynard.

Other Music Projects

Besides singing, Darin also writes songs for other artists.

• In 2007, Leona Lewis sang Darin's song "Homeless" on her album Spirit.
• In 2010, Darin wrote "Can't Stop Love" for the Royal Wedding of Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling.
• He wrote the winning song "All This Way" for Amanda Fondell on Idol 2011.
• Darin also wrote songs for artists like Shayne Ward and Eddie Razaz.

Discography

Albums

• The Anthem (2005)
• Darin (2005)
• Break the News (2006)
• Flashback (2008)
• Lovekiller (2010)
• Exit (2013)
• Fjärilar i magen (2015)
• Tvillingen (2017)
• En annan jag (2023)

Awards and Recognition

Darin has won many awards throughout his career, including:

• A Grammis award in 2006.
• The Rockbjörn (Rock bear award).
• A Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award.
• The Voice 06 Award in Sweden.
• NRJ Award for Best Nordic song in Finland.
• Kurd of the Year award in 2005.
• Artist of the Year at the QX Gaygalan Awards in 2013.
• Song of the Year for "En säng av rosor" at the QX Gaygalan Awards in 2021.
• Award PMI at Power Hits Estate for Superstar in 2022.

Images for kids

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  Darin in 2009

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  Darin in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Darin Zanyar para niños