Darren Hayes

But dressed in a pink T-shirt, combat trousers and flip-flops, none of which scream logo, Darren Hayes doesn't immediately strike you as a successful pop star.

Compared to other celebrities in the music industry, the 32-year-old remains refreshingly down-to-earth.

Now an established solo artist, he could have the pick of any status symbol he desires.

"I'm not someone who spends my money frivolously. I've got this watch - it's the only piece of jewellery I bought," he says, turning the bling-free watch towards me.

"I'm not into status symbols," he adds with a smile. "My dream is to have a home in Australia (his native country) and one in America. In terms of the J-Lo thing, it's just not me. I mean, how many pairs of underpants do you need?"

There's no doubt about it - Darren isn't like other artists. He hasn't succumbed to the pressures of fame, and he's cynical about the industry.

Earlier this year, he took a six-month sabbatical from music, only to make an accidental return with the release of his album, The Tension And The Spark, in September.

"I just didn't want to make a record," he explains. "I finished touring with Japan being the last show, and I was bored. I was done with music and I became very cynical about the industry and Top 40 radio. I didn't even want to look at music for a while, and did a course in screen writing.

"I was living in San Francisco so I got back into yoga, bought myself a mountain bike and a puppy, and started living my life. And incidentally, I started making a record without realising it."

The Tension And The Spark is what Darren describes as 'his most personal record', and in writing the songs, he decided to wear his heart on his sleeve, dealing with personal and moving subjects like fame, relationships and love.

"The record is about my childhood and my psyche," he says. "Why now? Because I can't lie anymore. There's always been a hefty element of honesty in my music, but with this, it was overwhelming. All these feelings and thoughts I tried to hide away manifested themselves as songs."

And Darren says that making the album helped him to unburden his childhood demons of insecurity.

"It was so freeing. In the past, I tried not to offend anyone with my music, but this time round, I don't mind so much if someone doesn't like the songs. When I recorded Unlovable, I had a lump in my throat. It was moving, but I wasn't sure if people wanted me to write those type of songs.

"It can be uncomfortable, it's the type of record where you witness someone's private moments. But I love it. I think it's beautiful. It may surprise some people but it's a piece of me and it's my proudest moment."

But is he ruling out any more romantic Savage Garden-type songs?

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," he says, laughing. "Those songs were special to me. I was that person and maybe I'll be that person again one day. But for me, that was an experience and that's what I felt at that time. At the moment, I don't feel like that.

"I feel that love is more beautiful than that. It's different to me now. It's quieter, calmer, less thrilling but ultimately, more sustaining."

But asked whether he's currently in love, Darren clams up, saying coyly: "Who knows? Probably. But I'm happy, I'm definitely really happy."

He does admit that having fans who love him was behind his choice of career.

"I became a pop star because I wanted the whole world to love me, but I've realised that self-love will fill any void or need.

"I think I've been really hard on myself in the past, and I've decided the world is hard enough on me that I should ease up on myself. I have to forgive myself for not being the best, as I don't think I've ever lived up to my own expectations.

"And I realised that I never would - I'll never be the strongest, the most beautiful, the most successful, all the usual things that anyone who is driven wants to be. I'm not perfect, but I'm starting to ease up on myself."

As for fame, Darren, who was 24 when Savage Garden took off, was adamant that it would not change him.

"It was crazy. I was a boy from Brisbane, Australia, poor as poor could be and never even left my own city. All of a sudden, 20 million record sales, number ones in America, people screaming out for you. It's an incredible high, and very surreal.

"I think I am happier now though," he says. "But it's not like I wasn't happy then. I loved Savage Garden, and it was a ball. But I was a different person back then. I was all wide-eyed and excited about being famous and getting to travel around the world.

"For a while, people would look at Savage Garden and assume that I was the egotistical one because I was in the forefront. But the truth is, I've always been terrified of fame. I've always felt inadequate on the red carpet and the parties, and I'm shocked when people know who I am and my music.

"Recently, I thought, 'I've sold all these records, made all this money and got through it all unscathed'."

Now the things that make him happy are a bit more low-key. He's bought an apartment in Manhattan for himself and his English cocker spaniel, Wally.

"My happiness is now more refined and subtle," he says. "I don't need to sell as many records as I wanted to when I was in Savage Garden.

"It's not about money, or getting my pictures taken, or going to fabulous parties. I've never done the showbiz lifestyle. I don't want to dominate the world, I don't need to.

"I'm just like anyone else. I just want to be a good person.

"I love the fact that I get paid to do what I love for a living, but I want peace and to be able to hold onto all the people that I love for as long as I can."

Darren Hayes is at Southampton Guildhall on Wednesday, November 24. Tickets: £23.50. Box office: 023 8063 2601.