Darius Campbell Danesh, a former Pop Idol candidate, was discovered unresponsive in his bed at his home in Minnesota, United States, on Thursday and was confirmed dead later that day. His cause of death remains unknown.
Following his unexpected passing last week, Pop Idol champion Will Young and Hollywood actor Gerard Butler have both paid tribute to singer and actor Darius Campbell Danesh.
On 11 August, the unresponsive body of Danesh, 41, who came to popularity after performing on Popstars and Pop Idol in the early 2000s, was discovered in his apartment in the United States. His cause of death remains unknown.
Young, who won Pop Idol in 2002, beating out both Danesh and Gareth Gates, posted a photo of him with Danesh on Instagram and described him as “determined, courageous, and kind.”
He continued, “If ever there was a perfect example of not giving up on one’s aspirations, Darius is it.”
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Butler expressed his “devastation” over Danesh’s passing, referring to him as his “brother” and posting a photo of them smiling together.
A few weeks ago, Danesh and Butler have photographed a dog walking barefoot on a Malibu beach, in what is thought to be the last photograph shot of the singer before his demise.
Butler wrote, “I am crushed by the tragic death of my close friend and real brother in arms, Darius. My thoughts and affection are with his beautiful mother and father, Avril and Booth, as well as his two outstanding brothers, Aria and Cyrus.
“Those fortunate enough to have spent more than a few minutes with Darius were profoundly impacted by his contagious laugh and uncontrollable zeal for life.
“He was always armed with a smile, a booming voice, and a truly warm embrace that few could withstand, nor would they want to!!! He was an actor with a commanding presence and a singer whose voice could move your soul.
Most importantly, however, he possessed the heart of a lion. It was bigger and brighter than the sun, and his enthusiasm was so contagious that he could illuminate a room in a matter of seconds.”
Danesh had his first attempt at success on the ITV show Popstars in 2001, and went on to solidify his career by placing third in the first season of Pop Idol, won by Will Young, in 2002.
He was one of the few individuals to reject Simon Cowell’s offer of a record deal and instead signed with music titan Steve Lillywhite.
Colorblind, his debut single, was released in July 2002 and immediately reached number one. The hit was followed by a string of entries in the top ten.
Since his passing, Colourblind has reentered music charts and was at the top of the iTunes download list on Wednesday morning.
Danesh went on to enjoy a prosperous career in musical theatre, performing in West End productions such as Chicago, Guys, And Dolls, Gone With The Wind, and Funny Girl.
Fellow 51-year-old Scot Butler is best known for films such as 300, Law Abiding Citizen, and Olympus Has Fallen and its sequels. He also operates G Base Productions, his production firm.
Butler stated in his letter that Danesh was driven to “inspire people to better themselves” and was “consistently and unwaveringly passionate about life.”
However, a greater constant was his desire to inspire others to improve themselves. He not only talked the talk but also walked the walk. He had such clarity of mind, profound wisdom, and a never-ending appreciation for people and life, as well as compassion for all.
“His hilariously self-deprecating sense of humor (he was as funny as s***) helped him to maintain his humility, which he much cherished. Darius was the ideal buddy due to his unwavering dedication to serving others, including his family, his friends (none more so than me), and the planet.
“He led by example, but he was also a teacher, as he encouraged people he cared about to be the finest versions of themselves imaginable.”
Butler continued, “The universe evolves in ways that we might not agree with or even comprehend. I feel there is or will be some significance to why he left us so abruptly.
If religion was nothing more than teaching us to live with an open heart, to put others before ourselves, and to never take ourselves too seriously as we learn to navigate this crooked world we inhabit, then that could be plenty.
“However, I have a feeling that our boy Darius will generate significantly greater waves in the future. My heart is in severe pain. In the future, though, I shall drum louder and celebrate life’s most wonderful moments since my brother taught me that this is an awesome way to live.
Ariel Vroman, the director of The Iceman, responded to the message by stating, “Amazing words, my brother; we will miss Darius dearly.”
Danesh’s family said in a statement that he was “discovered unresponsive in bed in his apartment room in Rochester, Minnesota on August 11 and pronounced dead by the county medical examiner’s office in the afternoon.”
The local police acknowledged that there were “no indications of malice or unusual circumstances,” and the cause of his death is yet unknown.
Following the news of Danesh’s passing, former Pop Idol judges Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman, together with former competitor Gates, led the tributes to him.
