This frontman shot to fame with his band’s debut album, earned £1 million in just a month since his Christmas number one and had a sell-out world tour with a hair as big as his career.
The singer, 49, spent £150,000 of his estimated £6million fortune on cocaine, living a life of excess that led him to leave his band in 2006 and begin his recovery.
He is now a vegan, married, father-of-one living a quiet life in rural Switzerland and seems far removed from his once flamboyant stage persona.
Twenty years after the release of his band’s hit song, the huge rock star looks completely unrecognizable.
Known for his long, curly hair, the rocker sported a completely new look as he stepped out with a shorter, darker hairstyle and a clean-shaven face as he left the BBC Broadcasting House studios in London on Tuesday.
But can you guess who it is?
A major rock star looks completely unrecognizable 20 years after the release of his hit song
The singer seemed far removed from his wild rock and roll days as he left the BBC Broadcasting House studios in London on Tuesday.
That’s how it is! It’s Justin Hawkins from The Darkness.
In the past, the I Believe In A Thing Called Love opera singer often wore extravagant metallic outfits that showed off his bare, tattooed chest.
But Justin ditched his signature stage suit for a more casual look during his recent outing.
She wore a black hoodie and a leather jacket, paired with jeans and sneakers as she stepped out in the rain.
Justin showed he had expensive taste by wearing a khaki green Celine backpack.
Last month, The Darkness announced that they will release a new album and tour the UK in 2025.
The news of the rock band comes after the viral moment of Taylor Swift singing her 2003 hit song, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, with her boyfriend Travis Kelce in the US Open final.
Since the pop sensation’s clip went viral, The Darkness’ single has climbed charts around the world and reached number one in the US, 21 years after its release.
Now singer Justin Hawkins has revealed that Taylor wrote him a letter and told him the song is “the best song ever written.”
While promoting the band’s eighth studio album, Dreams On Toast on ITV’s Lorraine on Wednesday, Justin spoke about the incredible moment.
Known for his long, curly hair (he left in 2003), the rocker sported a completely new look when he stepped out with a shorter, darker hairstyle and a clean-shaven face.
Justin ditched his signature stage suit for a more casual look during his recent outing.
Justin spent £150,000 on cocaine, living a life of excess which led him to leave The Darkness in 2006 and begin his recovery (pictured in 2017, six years after they reunited).
He said: ‘She (Taylor Swift) was just dancing and appreciating it and they play it a lot at sporting events.
‘My daughter is the biggest Swifty I know, I was always cool but now I’m even cooler.
“She (Taylor) wrote me a lovely letter and said she thinks it’s the best song ever written and if she said it must mean anything, it’s that she’s an expert at writing songs.”
He joked: “We saw Taylor singing the song and it went to number one and we thought we’d rush into the studio.” No, actually we didn’t, we’ve been working on this for a year and a half and today we released the first single.
“I think she’s a role model, she helps young women navigate that world, she calms me down when my daughter listens to her.”
Earlier this month, Justin shared a video on TikTok, revealing that he had woken up to videos circulating online of Taylor and Travis. He thanked the couple for helping him feel like ‘dad of the year’ as he gushed about the delight of his little daughter.
“It was a really touching moment for me and my little girl, who can’t wait to tell her friends at school,” Justin said. “So thank you Taylor, thank you Travis.”
As the clip began, Justin revealed that he had seen Taylor’s Eras Tour show in Zurich weeks earlier, and how a personalized note from the singer saying she was a fan of the song had surprised his daughter.
He said: “A few weeks ago I went to see Taylor Swift at the Zurich stadium and the hospitality shown to us was extraordinary. There was a man in a golf cart guiding us to the main part of the stadium, parked near the trucks and They put us in a beautiful VIP area, I had Chris Rock on one side, Roger Federer on the other and I was just father of the year.
‘To make things even more spectacular, Taylor Swift even sent me a beautiful letter, which was waiting for me in the VIP section, talking about how much she loves the song I Believe In A Thing Called Love.
Justin said he was glad to leave The Masked Singer in the show’s second week in 2020 as it meant he wouldn’t miss his daughter’s birthday as she lives in Switzerland.
During the height of his fame, Justin wasted £150,000 on cocaine in just three years and this became a source of friction within the group (pictured in 2004).
Most recently, Justin performed at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert (September 2022).
“I was just dad of the year, maybe dad of the century, because all of that was a big surprise.”
Continuing the discussion about the recent viral moment at the US Open, Justin added: “Speaking of big surprises, everyone has sent me some footage of I Believe In A Thing Called Love at the US Open and Taylor Swift and her partner Travis dancing.” . next to him, simply enjoying the music.
‘So it was a really touching moment for me and my little girl, who can’t wait to tell her friends at school.
‘So thank you Taylor, thank you Travis, thank you to everyone who enjoys tennis. It’s a really lovely start to the day. Great guys, greetings.’
The Darkness will hit the road next March for their biggest ever UK headline tour.
Dreams On Toast’s UK headlining tour will see them play 17 shows across the country, ending at London’s OVO Wembley Arena on March 29.