A Swedish teen pop sensation who shot into the limelight courtesy of a memorable run on the 2004 season of Swedish Idol, Darin Zanyar, known simply as Darin, was one of Scandinavia's hottest chart phenomena of the early 2000s. Coming in at a close second to Daniel Lindström in the Idol finale, Darin nonetheless managed to sweep the pop charts in the following year. The teen shot to number one on the charts in 2005 with his debut single "Money for Nothing," a tune penned by pop veteran Robyn. Darin's debut album, Anthem, and three more Top Ten hits followed that year, including "Step Up," "Why Does It Rain," and "Who's That Girl," leading up to the release of Darin's self-titled, platinum-selling sophomore effort. 2006 found the 18-year-old Darin with a pair of Top Ten singles, "Want Ya!" and "Perfect," another number one album, Break the News, and two Swedish Grammies. His winning streak continued in 2007 with the release of another number one hit, "Desire." ~ Margaret Reges, Rovi
