US in a spin over sexy Darren

By Christine Sams
February 28, 2005
The Sun-Herald
Darren Hayes.

Darren Hayes.
Photo: Richard Haughton

Darren Hayes is celebrating reaching the top of the American Billboard club play dance charts with his single Pop!ular, but behind the scenes of his success there has been an epic struggle with his record label to release his third album in the US.

Hayes's album The Tension And The Spark (which S named as the best pop album of 2004) caused consternation among executives at Sony Music - his parent record label - because of its raunchy feel.

In a letter to local radio station Nova FM, celebrating news of Hayes's current singles chart success, his longtime manager John Woodruff has revealed his frustration at the American attitude: "As you know we have been having some problems getting the Americans with their newfound conservatism to hear just how good this Darren record is.

"We decided to let the public choose. We put out a number of mixes across the US clubs and here's the result this week."

The strategy to remix some of Hayes's singles, including Pop!ular, has paid off handsomely - and Woodruff has revealed the success of the singles has prompted the US label to prepare a release date for the album.

"[Pop!ular] has taken off like wildfire in all the dance clubs in the USA and, so much so, that this week it is the most played track across the nation in the American club scene," he wrote.

There's no denying The Tension And The Spark was a creative shift for Hayes, after his success with mainstream Savage Garden hits including Truly, Madly, Deeply and I Knew I Loved You.

The singer has sold more than 20 million records so far, so the initial decision to delay his album release in the US seems like madness.

But because his new album features sexy (and occasionally sexually ambiguous) lyrics, it was seen as a risk - especially by the conservative radio stations that have been playing his Savage Garden hits continuously since day one.

Here's hoping the brilliance of The Tension And The Spark will eventually filter through to a wider audience in the US.

Hayes is now gearing up for promotional duties in the US, but he will be back in Australia this week. He is the headline performer at the Mardi Gras party in Sydney on Saturday night.
