GARETH and Will may have pipped him at the post in the Pop Idol finals, but being the underdog has never got in Darius Danesh's way.

The Scottish singer first leapt to fame - or, rather, infamy - in the first Popstars series. Sporty a dodgy goatee and a mop of lank hair complete with central parting, he looked as far from a modern pop star as you can get. Despite that - and a frankly disturbing rendition of Britney Spears' Baby One More Time - he made a strong impression on both the judges and the viewing public with his determined spirit and "cheesy" personality.

True to his promise, Darius bounced back a year later on Pop Idol - with a fresh new look and a more polished talent that ensured him a place in the final running.

Wisely, the Glasgow-born singer-songwriter waited for the fuss about Will and Gareth to die down before launching his own musical onslaught. Signed to the Mercury record label last year, his first single, Colourblind, gave him an instant number one hit. He followed it up with an album, Dive In, and countless appearances at outdoor pop festivals all over the country - including Southampton at last year's Power in the Park.

May 11, Bournemouth International Centre. Performance: 7.30pm. Tickets: £18.50. Box office: 01202 456456.