This frontman shot to fame with his band’s debut album, earned £1 million in just a month after its Christmas number one and had a sold-out world tour with her as big as his career.
The singer, 49, has reportedly spent £150,000 of his estimated £6million fortune on cocaine. He led a life full of excess that led him to leave his band in 2006 and start recovering.
Now vegan, married and father of a child living a quiet life in rural Switzerland, he looks worlds away from his once flamboyant on-stage persona.
Twenty years after his band’s hit was released, the towering rock star looks completely unrecognizable.
Known for his long curly hair, the rocker sported a brand new look as he stepped out with a darker, shorter haircut and clean-shaven face as he left the BBC Broadcasting House studios in London on Tuesday.
But can you guess who it is?
A huge rock star looks completely unrecognizable twenty years after the release of their hit
The singer looked worlds away from his wild rock ‘n’ roll days as he left the BBC Broadcasting House studios in London on Tuesday
That’s right! It’s Justin Hawkins from The Darkness.
The singer of the opera I Believe In A Thing Called Love used to wear flamboyant metallic catsuits that showed off his bare tattooed chest.
But Justin ditched his signature stage costume for a more casual look during his recent performance.
He wore a black hoodie and leather jacket, teamed with jeans and sneakers as he stepped out into the rain.
Justin proved he has expensive taste when he carried a khaki green Celine backpack.
Last month, The Darkness announced they will release a new album and tour Britain in 2025.
The rock band’s news comes after the viral moment of Taylor Swift singing along to their 2003 hit, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, with boyfriend Travis Kelce during the US Open final.
Since the pop sensation’s clip went viral, The Darkness’ single has climbed the charts worldwide 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 that 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 discussed the incredible moment.
Known for his long curly hair (left in 2003), the rocker sported a brand new look as he stepped out with a darker, shorter haircut and a clean-shaven face.
Justin ditched his signature stage costume for a more casual look during his recent performance
Justin famously spent £150,000 on cocaine, leading him to a life of excess that saw him quit The Darkness in 2006 and go into 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 extra cool.
‘She [Taylor] wrote me a nice letter and said she thinks this is the best song ever written and if she says it has to mean something, she’s an expert at writing songs.’
He joked: “We saw Taylor sing a song and it went to number one and we thought, get in the studio quickly. No, we actually didn’t, we’ve been working on this for a year and a half and today we dropped the first single.
“I think she is a role model, she helps young adult women find their way in that world, it gives me a feeling of comfort when my daughter listens to her.”
Earlier this month, Justin shared a video on TikTok, revealing that he was woken up by the videos circulating online of Taylor and Travis. He thanked the couple for helping him feel like “father of the year” as he overwhelmed with his young daughter’s joy.
“It was a very heartwarming 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 started, Justin revealed that he had seen Taylor’s Eras Tour show in Zurich weeks earlier – and how a personal note from the singer saying she was a fan of the song had amazed his daughter.
He said: “So a few weeks ago I went to see Taylor Swift at the stadium in Zurich and the hospitality they showed us was extraordinary. There was a guy on a golf cart who led us to the main stadium, parked by the trucks and they put us in a nice VIP area. I had Chris Rock on one side, Roger Federer on the other, and I was just father of the year.
‘To make it even more spectacular, Taylor Swift even sent me a beautiful letter, which was waiting for me in the VIP section, telling me how much she loves the song I Believe In A Thing Called Love.
Justin said he was happy to leave The Masked Singer in the show’s second week in 2020 as it meant he didn’t miss his daughter’s birthday as she lives in Switzerland.
At the height of his fame, Justin wasted £150,000 on cocaine in just three years, which became a source of friction within the group (2004 photo).
Most recently, Justin performed for the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert (September 2022)
“I was just father of the year, maybe father of the century, because that was all a big surprise.”
Discussing the recent viral moment at the US Open, Justin added: ‘Speaking of big surprises, everyone forwarded me some footage of I Believe In A Thing Called Love being played at the US Open and Taylor Swift and her partner Travis dances along, just enjoying the music.
‘So it was a very heartwarming 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 loves tennis. That really is a wonderful start to the day. Nice guys, cheers.’
The Darkness will hit the road in March for their biggest headline tour of Britain.
The Dreams On Toast UK headline tour will see them play 17 shows across the country, ending at London’s OVO Wembley Arena on March 29.