Savage Garden’s Darren Hayes’ Career Celebrated at Music In The House Gala
The Australian singer and songwriter received two awards on the night.
On a regular Tuesday night in Sydney on August 27, pop icon Darren Hayes was honored with the Excellence in Community Award at the 17th annual Music In The House event. The ex-Savage Garden singer and songwriter was present at the Support Act fundraising concert, held at The Linseed House, The Grounds of Alexandria. Hayes' induction into APRA AMCOS’s Billions Club was a tribute to Savage Garden's 1997 Billboard Hot 100 leader, "Truly Madly Deeply," which was one of their two US No. 1 hits.
The duo, consisting of Hayes and Daniel Jones, was one of Australia's biggest exports in the 1990s, with their self-titled debut album, featuring "Truly Madly Deeply" and the top 10 hit "I Want You," peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Their second and final album, Affirmation, which included the No. 1 smash "I Knew I Loved You," reached No. 6 on the same chart.
Since parting ways in 2001, Hayes has pursued a successful solo career, releasing five studio albums, with the most recent being Homosexual in 2022. With over 35 million albums sold worldwide and 14 ARIA Awards, 10 APRA songwriting awards, Hayes has been a strong advocate for community and mental health awareness. Hayden received the Music In The House award for his contributions beyond commercial success and chart statistics in the Australian music industry, expressing gratitude for being a voice for various causes.
Claire Marshall, a longtime friend, presented Hayes with the Excellence in Community Award, with Osher Günsberg serving as the event's emcee. Hayes noted that recognition from Support Act is an honor, and hopes that highlighting his career will also draw attention to the crucial funding needed to keep Support Act afloat. The night featured a lineup of guest performers, including Tania Doko, Electric Fields, Meg Mac, Michael Paynter, and Sister2Sister, who covered Hayes and Savage Garden songs.
Speaking about his contributions, Clive Miller, CEO of Support Act, highlighted Hayes as a beacon of courage, openness, and empathy, and applauded his bravery in addressing mental health, trauma, and identity. APRA chair and ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Jenny Morris presented Hayes with the Billions Award for Savage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply" reaching one billion streams across major music streaming services, marking the song's extraordinary achievement.
Established in 2006, Music In The House brings together the nation's music industry to recognize leaders for their artistic achievements and broader contributions, with previous recipients including Troy Cassar-Daley, Powderfinger, Marcia Hines, Midnight Oil, Tina Arena, and the late Archie Roach.
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