Darin (singer)
Darin Zanyar (born 2 June 1987), known simply as Darin, is a Swedish pop singer and songwriter born in Stockholm. He first came into prominence on the television talent show Idol. Darin has released nine studio albums, eight of which have gone to number 1, making him one of Sweden's most successful recording artists.[1] His most recent album, En annan jag, was released in 2023.
Darin
Darin Zanyar
2 June 1987
Stockholm, Sweden
Singer, songwriter
2004–present
Dex Music (Sweden), Sony Music, EMI Germany, Universal Music
Life and career[edit]
Early life[edit]
Darin was born in Stockholm to Kurdish parents Shwan and Ashti, who are from Iraqi Kurdistan.[2] He grew up in a musical family and began singing at an early age, citing Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston as some of his biggest inspirations. He started writing and recording songs at the age of 14 after being discovered by a music producer in school after a performance.
2004–2005: Breakthrough, "The Anthem" and "Darin"[edit]
Darin became nationally famous in 2004 when he participated in the first season of the Swedish Idol at the age of 16. He quickly became one of the favorite contestants in the show and was the only one to receive 78% of the public votes at the semi-final. He ended up as the runner-up and was signed by SonyBMG the day after the finale.
In February 2005 his debut album The Anthem was released. The album quickly entered the Swedish Album Charts at number 1 and was certified gold by the IFPI. His first single "Money for Nothing" was written by Robyn and went straight to No. 1. In 2005, he went on to become the most exposed person in the media in Sweden.[3] They often wrote about his hysterical fans and referred to him as "The perfect popstar".
Later the same year Darin released his second self-titled album, which also peaked at number one.[4] It was his first to be released outside of Sweden, being released in Finland, and was certified platinum. Darin worked with record producer RedOne while creating the album, subsequently releasing the platinum selling "Step Up", which spent a total of 26 weeks on Sverigetopplistan and was also the first single to be released in Finland. Furthermore, the album included the singles "Who's That Girl" and "Want Ya!".
2006: Break the News and Flashback[edit]
In 2006, Darin won Song of the Year at the Swedish Grammis for "Money for Nothing". Later in 2006, he released his first DVD, Tour Videos Interview, which was mainly a concert DVD from a 2006 tour. In November 2006, Darin released his third album studio album, Break the News, which debuted at number 1 on the Swedish Charts. The album included the singles "Perfect", "Everything But the Girl", "Desire" and "Insanity".
As well as being a successful performer, Darin is also an established songwriter.
Darin has received several awards throughout his career, including: