Darius Campbell Danesh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darius Campbell Danesh
Campbell Danesh performing live in 2012
Background information
Also known as	Darius
Born	(1980-08-19)19 August 1980 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	11 August 2022(2022-08-11) (aged 41) Rochester, Minnesota, US
Genres	Pop acoustic swing opera
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician actor film producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	2000–2022
Labels	19 Mercury

Darius Campbell Danesh (born August 19, 1980 – died August 11, 2022) was a talented Scottish singer, songwriter, actor, and film producer. He became well-known as Darius Danesh after appearing on the TV show Popstars in 2001. The next year, he was a finalist on the first series of Pop Idol.

As Darius, he released two studio albums: Dive In (2002) and Live Twice (2004). Both albums reached the top 40 in the UK. His very first song, "Colourblind", became a number one hit in the UK in 2002. Other songs like "Rushes" and "Incredible (What I Meant to Say)" also made it into the top ten.

Darius also had a successful career in theatre. He played the role of Billy Flynn in the famous West End musical Chicago. He also starred as Sky Masterson in the award-winning show Guys and Dolls. Later, he played Rhett Butler in the musical version of Gone with the Wind.

In 2010, Darius trained with opera singer Rolando Villazón. He won the TV show Popstar to Operastar, where pop stars learned to sing opera. He even performed a duet with Villazón. Darius made his opera debut at The O2 Arena in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He played Escamillo in the opera Carmen when he was 29 years old. That same year, he toured with The History of the Big Bands, celebrating big band and swing music.

Early Life and First Steps

Darius Campbell Danesh was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on August 19, 1980. His mother was Scottish, and his father was Iranian. He grew up in Bearsden with his two younger brothers, Aria and Cyrus.

He went to Bearsden Primary School and the Glasgow Academy. Later, he studied English Literature and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.

From Popstars to Pop Idol

Darius's professional career started with a non-singing role in the Scottish Opera's show The Trojans. As a teenager, he also performed with the Scottish Opera at Covent Garden in a production of Carmen.

He first became famous in 2001 on the British talent show Popstars. A year later, he reached the finals of Pop Idol. After Pop Idol, he decided not to sign a record deal with Simon Cowell. Instead, he signed with producer Steve Lillywhite.

Music Career Highlights

Hit Songs and Albums

Campbell Danesh in 2003

Darius wrote his first song, "Colourblind". It was released on July 29, 2002, and quickly became the number one song in the UK singles chart. It stayed at the top for two weeks.

His first album, Dive In, was very popular and sold a lot of copies. It reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart in 2004. He had five songs that reached the top ten in the UK.

Darius wrote all 12 songs on the Dive In album. He even produced one of the songs himself. He also toured with the famous singer Shakira. After that, he had his own very successful "Dive In" tour across the UK.

Meaningful Music

Darius wrote a book called Sink or Swim, which became a best-seller. It was about his experiences in the music business. He also helped the War Child charity by contributing to their album, alongside bands like Coldplay and Oasis.

His second album, Live Twice, was very special to him. He wrote it for his father, who was battling cancer. The album's main song, "Live Twice", became his fifth top ten hit in 2005.

Shining on Stage

West End Star

Darius performed in Chicago on the West End stage in London from 2005 to 2006. At 25 years old, he was the youngest actor to play the role of Billy Flynn.

In 2007, he starred as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, which won an award. Later that year, he played Billy Flynn again in a special charity performance of Chicago. In 2008, he returned to the West End to play Rhett Butler in the musical Gone with the Wind.

From Pop to Opera

In 2010, Darius won the TV show Popstar to Operastar. On the show, pop singers learned to perform opera songs. He was taught by the famous tenor Rolando Villazón. Darius then performed as Escamillo in the opera Carmen at The O2 Arena in London. He also toured with The History of the Big Bands, celebrating classic Big Band and Swing Era songs.

In 2013, Darius played the lead role of Warden in the musical From Here to Eternity the Musical.

Later Performances

From 2015 to 2016, Darius played Nick Arnstein in the musical Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre in London.

Before he passed away in 2022, there were talks about a Pop Idol reunion. It was rumored that Darius would sing with Will Young and Gareth Gates for a special show.

Other Work and Helping Others

On Television

In 2003, Darius appeared as himself in the TV show Hollyoaks, where he performed his song "Girl in the Moon". In 2009, he was a guest star on the BBC show Hotel Babylon.

Charity Work

Darius was an ambassador for The Prince's Trust. This charity helps young people who are facing difficulties. He also designed a guitar to raise money for Guitar Aid. He supported charities like the Lymphoma Association and Cancer Research UK, which help people with cancer.

Personal Life

In 2010, Darius was in a serious car crash in Spain. This accident caused him to have ongoing neck pain. He chose not to have an operation because it might have affected his vocal cords, which are important for singing.

Darius married Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge in February 2011. They later divorced in February 2018.

His Passing

Darius Campbell Danesh passed away on August 11, 2022, just before his 42nd birthday. He was found in his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota. His family stated that there were no suspicious circumstances.

Many people who knew and worked with Darius shared their sadness, including his close friend Gerard Butler, and TV personalities like Simon Cowell, Gareth Gates, Will Young, and Ant & Dec. Eight days after his passing, his first song, "Colourblind", became very popular again, reaching number two on the UK download and sales charts.

A private funeral was held for Darius on August 25, 2022, in Glasgow. His family and close friends, including Gerard Butler, attended. An official report later stated that his death was an accident, related to his treatment for the chronic neck pain he had since his car accident in 2010.

Discography

• Dive In (2002)
• Live Twice (2004)

Theatre

Books

• Darius: Sink or Swim, My Story. Headline Publishing Group. 2003. ISBN 0-7553-1281-3.

See also

In Spanish: Darius Campbell para niños