It was anything but an ordinary Tuesday night (Aug. 27) in Sydney as Darren Hayes was feted with the Excellence in Community Award at the 17th annual Music In The House event.
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The ex-Savage Garden singer and songwriter was on hand at the Support Act fundraiser, presented at The Linseed House, The Grounds of Alexandria, where he doubled up with induction into APRA AMCOS’s Billions Club, in recognition of the pop group’s Billboard Hot 100 leader from 1997, “Truly Madly Deeply,” one of their two U.S. No. 1s.
Savage Garden, the pairing of Hayes and Daniel Jones, was one of Australia’s biggest exports of the 1990s. Their self-titled debut album — which houses “Truly Madly Deeply” and top 10 hit “I Want You” — peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, while sophomore and final release Affirmation, which houses No. 1 smash “I Knew I Loved You,” reached No. 6. The group split up in 2001.
For the past quarter century, Hayes has enjoyed a solo career, one that has yielded five studio albums, most recently the 2022 release Homosexual.
Across his career, Hayes has sold over 35 million albums worldwide, and collected 14 ARIA Awards, 10 APRA songwriting awards.
Away from the studio and the stage, Hayes has been a tireless leader of community, a stance that saw him appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to the music industry in 2019.
The Queenslander has candidly shared his personal journey with mental health, resilience, and LGBTQIA+ representation, Support Act explains, and used his global platform to break stigmas and foster safer, more supportive spaces across the creative industries.
“I’m deeply honored to be recognized by Support Act for my achievements beyond commercial success and chart statistics in the Australian music industry,” he remarked on receiving the Music In The House award. “I’m grateful to have been a voice advocating for an end to violence against women, homophobia, and racism, and I’m a passionate advocate for removing the stigma associated with mental health.”
Longtime friend Claire Marshall presented Hayes with his Excellence in Community Award, with television presenter Osher Günsberg serving as emcee of the celebration.
Hayes added, “Receiving any recognition from Support Act is an extreme honor. I hope that by highlighting my career, we can shine some of that spotlight on the much-needed funding crucial to the survival of this essential organization.”
On the night, a lineup of guests performers hit covers of Hayes and Savage Garden songs, including including Tania Doko, Electric Fields, Meg Mac, Michael Paynter, and Sister2Sister.
“Darren Hayes is not only one of the greatest songwriters and performers Australia has ever produced, but he is also a beacon of courage, openness, and empathy,” comments Clive Miller, CEO of Support Act. “His bravery in speaking out about mental health, trauma, and identity has paved the way for healthier, more compassionate conversations across the music community. We are thrilled to present him with this year’s Excellence in Community Award.”
Hayes left with his hands full, his APRA AMCOS prize for entry into the 1,000,000,000 List with “Truly Madly Deeply,” which has surpassed one billion streams across major services including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. APRA chair and ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Jenny Morris presented the Billions Award to Hayes.
“When APRA’s founding publishers first met 100 years ago in 1926, they could never have imagined we’d be here in 2026 celebrating songwriters and publishers for reaching one billion streams,” Morris said. “It’s an extraordinary achievement, a testament to the staying power and connection of the song. I’m thrilled to announce that Savage Garden’s ‘Truly Madly Deeply’ has reached that major milestone and will be added to our coveted Billions List.”
Established in 2006, Music In The House gathers the nation’s music industry to salute leaders in music for both their artistic achievements and their broader contributions.
Previous recipients include Troy Cassar-Daley, Powderfinger, Marcia Hines, Midnight Oil, Tina Arena, and the late Archie Roach.
All proceeds raised on the night go to Support Act’s much-needed initiatives, which include the charity’s Wellbeing Helpline, Crisis Relief grants, and mental health prevention programs for struggling music workers.
