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Ex-Savage Garden singer Hayes weds same-sex partner
Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Darren Hayes, the former frontman of Australian pop group Savage Garden, has married his male partner in a civil ceremony in London.

Hayes announced his union with Richard Cullen, his partner of two years, in a message to fans on his website on Monday.

"I can honestly say it's the happiest day of my life," said Hayes of the ceremony June 19.

"I feel lucky to live in an era where my relationship can be considered legally legitimate and I commend the U.K. government for embracing this very basic civil liberty," Hayes said.

Australia's federal government does not allow same-sex unions and overruled a state law that would have allowed civil unions.

The British government introduced the Civil Partnership Act earlier this year, allowing same-sex couples to wed. Elton John and his longtime partner, Canadian David Furnish, were among the first to unite under the British law.

'Proud of who I am': Hayes

Hayes had not previously come out publicly, and gay publications in Australia had pondered the question of his sexual orientation as recently as May.

"I very rarely make comments about my private life," Hayes said on his website.

"I'm proud of who I am, and after what felt like an eternity, I'm finally in a place where my heart is secure and content. And I can finally make sense of all of the searching."

Hayes, born in Brisbane in 1972, was married before to his college sweetheart, Colby Taylor.

He answered an ad in the newspaper to get the job of lead singer of the band that would be Savage Garden. Its hits included Truly Madly Deeply and Affirmation.

The band broke up in 2001 and Hayes has since gone solo. Last week, he announced he would leave longtime label Sony BMG.

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