Darren Hayes Regrets Savage Garden Past, Envious of Sam Smith's Freedom

Darren Hayes has referred to his previous record label as "controlling."

The 50-year-old singer, who released two albums with Savage Garden and his first two solo LPs via Columbia Records, released his third album, "Homosexual,"" under his own Powdered Sugar label earlier this year.

However, he believes his former employers would not have permitted him to use the title or have such creative freedom.

He stated that he never would have been able to release this album on a major label. Never.

Even though his first single from the album was six minutes long, he said there is just no way.. The title by itself would have prompted questions such as "Do we have to call it that?" or "Could you name it something else?" "

He said someone else could do what he could not, under a controlling management. For example, Sam Smith certainly could, as Sam appeared as Sam. Olly Alexander is Olly, but because of his personal history, He would have requested something similar to Savage Garden. It would have been extremely challenging.

And Darren found working for a major label "exhausting" because he had so little influence over his own career decisions. He told BANG Showbiz in an exclusive interview that he just did not want to have those tiring arguments about the length of the songs or the genre.

Approximately twelve years ago, He decided not to engage in such arguments. HE was exhausted by them. He was once required to listen to the outcomes of focus group discussions regarding photographs. That's how it used to be controlled. When a cover he requested was made, the company had to ran it through a focus group first. And participants on those groups tend to criticize the smallest things - his eyes, his nose, and many more. He found it quite taxing.

However, the "Poison Blood" hitmaker acknowledged that a major label's "power" is advantageous. It is still much more powerful for a multinational corporation to take your song to TV and radio because they can leverage another artist.

In 2022, Darren Hayes came back after being away for 10 years. His fifth solo studio album, Homosexual, brought him back to the attention of fans with danceable singles like "Let's Try Being in Love" and "Do You Remember."

But in the third single from the album, "Poison Blood," the singer/songwriter talks about a more reflective and painful subject: depression and suicide in his family and his own decision to live despite all odds. Hayes performs "Poison Blood" in an intimate setting on this episode of Press Play. The song is led by a guitar, but Hayes lets his voice shine, giving a soft performance with a haunting falsetto in the chorus.