Following the release of his new single Cry last month (September 7), DARIO G (aka Paul Spencer) caught up with Female First to reveal 15 things he'd like all of his fans - both old and new - to know about him. From his earliest crush, to his experience as part of a children's opera, you can find out a little more about the artist below:
Dario G opens up to Female First
1. I love football, hate gyms.
2. I’m untidy. Can I blame the creative mind? A messy studio is a creative studio!
3. I’m usually always late. I have never managed to work out time and space.
4. I’m bald. I dealt with it. I used to have long hair to my shoulders (with a perm!). I now save a fortune in hair care and time getting ready. Result!
5. I often enjoy making or building things. As long as it's for my own selfish use. Making music creates something that isn’t physical. It can be years until a piece of music is used or noticed. Physically making something means the result is right there in front of you and the satisfaction is immediate (I’m not so good at tidying or repairing!).
6. I love cars, but not to own. I’ve tried the classic car thing but don’t like the fear of breaking down. I actually like the anonymity of driving a car with over a quarter of a million miles on the clock.
7. My first crush was Shirley Bassey. I worked with her on my song We Got Music. Amazing! What a woman!
8. My second crush was Kim Wilde. Yep, I got to work with her too (and she’s equally fab!). My third crush was Cleo Rocos. I don’t think she can sing.
9. I first became obsessed with the piano, when watching the pianist play at church. The keys disappeared somehow (when you look at them from eye level). I thought they were being squashed. Like most people I learnt chopsticks first then took lessons and realised I was pretty good at it.
10. I’m not always late. Before a show I will always get there in plenty of time. Traffic across long distances can appear at any time. I like to set up my gear and work out the crowd for a while before I play. They know me but I don’t know them at that point.
11. I’m a night person when it comes to creativity. I could quite happily work in the studio until 3am, 4am.
12. I was in the school Brass Band and played Cornet. Never practised, but my skills on the piano gave me an advantage. My stamina on the cornet was dreadful but now I pick up my trumpet and record with it regularly.
13. As a 15-year-old boy, I had a main vocal part in a children’s opera in Buxton. My voice was still unbroken but during the week of the show it started breaking. Onstage I was (a poor version of) Aled Jones. Backstage I sounded more like Frank Bruno.
14. I’d love to be making music for the rest of my life. Whether it be for my own projects or collars with others. My attitude to music has recently changed. I wanna be more fearless and confident. Everyone's favourite track sounds like nothing else, so why not be brave enough to try to create something different that will make people notice you (Have you heard my new Dario G track called Cry?)
15. My Dario G track Carnaval de Paris contained a bagpipe solo. Has anyone else ever had a bagpipe SOLO in a top 5 record? Now THAT’s daring to be different...
Chatting about his new track, DARIO G explains: "The principle idea, took under an hour. I knew I was onto something, so I waited patiently for other ideas to fall into my lap over a few weeks to craft it into what you now hear. The title Cry was something that I felt summed up the emotion of listening back to what I'd created. It's a powerful and euphoric Cry rather than a sad one. I was picturing people dancing and being lifted by the soaring soprano vocals and strings, while the "Higher" chant is there to take the euphoria to an even higher level."
Cry is available to stream and download now across all digital platforms.