Darius de Haas- "King of the World"

[@tadwinkle]

I was there. This was the best thing I have ever seen on stage. It was SFANW in concert. 27 singers, including Brooks Ashmankas, Jessica Molasky, and Andrea Burns (3 of the originals), Jason Robert Brown playing piano, the original band, and a youth orchestra. It was more than perfect. It was any SFANW fan (of which we are almost a cult) dream come true.

[@klmnumbers]

Two things: 1 - I adore this song. It's probably my favorite from SFANW and I rock out to it my car often. 2 - Darius is a revelation in this performance. I cannot get over how gorgeous his voice sounds throughout and how committed he is.

[@mymixedtape05]

the most amazing version I've ever heard. words can't expresssss how beautiful.

[@alex_michaels]

I was listening to it going "Man! This guy's fantastic! I can't wait to hear him go for the C!" Then he did that thing in the last chorus. Darius de Haas. Incredible. Words cannot describe...

[@prboy0812]

Holy mother of God! The last minute of this is sooo inspirational. I absolutely adore this song--I can't even put it into words...

[@PhoenixOfNight]

darius is still my favitoriest tenor ever, this just enhances that. who needs opera when you have darius? and its really too bad no one outside of new york really knows of him, hes so friggin ace.

[@corsairstw]

Definitely the best version of this song ever recorded. He's simply amazing.

[@tadwinkle]

I was there. It was the greatest theatrical experience of my life...and I have had A LOT of them. For those obsessed with SFANW, it is like a cult and this was it for us. If only someone could get the guy who sang Flying Home. JRB said that it should never be performed again because it was so perfect.

[@ginnylin]

The original recording already brought tears to my eyes... but this version just ripped my heart out. What an amazing amazing man. Performers like him really deserve more recognition! I have watched this a ridiculous number of times, my heartfelt thanks to the uploader.

[@Robibi84]

When JRB was in D.C. the guy playing guy 2 (can't remember the name) also took it upthe octave at the end and it was absolutely AMAZING!

[@GRuc152]

this is the absolute best version of this song ever done, Darius has one of the most dynamic voices in theater today, just wow

[@beejolson]

woof. he is LIVING behind that mic

[@PhoenixOfNight]

Darius was and still is and probably always be my favorite singer/actor. Its too bad hes not mainstream show-wise, I'd love to be able to see him live.

[@MusicMan290]

good god that's amazing. not only his vocal placement but the performance and interpretation. he's good.

[@corsairstw]

This is definitely the best recording of this song, ever. He has an AMAZING voice. I've never heard such energy.

[@UberWackyAmerican]

that is the most disgustingly beautiful greatest rendition of this song i have ever heard. im speechless.

[@KieraLantz]

What a wonderful voice. Great job.

[@ObsessedwithBroadway]

If you ever take this video off KZbin for any reason whatsoever I will cry. Please don't. I NEED Darius!

[@klmnumbers]

I'm so in love with Darius; listening to him sing this and Lost in the Wilderness is remarkable; this song always gets to me emotionally. .. and I like to sing it when I'm alone in my room. >.> or car.

[@GRuc152]

the absolute best version of this song ever done, Darius has one of the most dynamic voices in theater today, just wow

[@DirtyRottenScoundrel]

Aah! Oh dear... I am completely speechless because that performance was not only flawless, but flat-out amazing. I am so impressed, I can't even say. I don't think there's anything bad that could be said about this performance. Brilliant

[@54MProductions]

my sister just came back from studying at NIDA in sydney. they did this play and the kid who sang king of the world was amazing.

[@broadwayboy1]

Darius DeHaas is one of my all time favorite actor/singers! Thank you for posting this!

[@mikeyman11]

My favorite youtube video for sure. His range is EPIC! He's fantastic. His eyes are hilarious too when he goes for the high stuff. o man, I think i've seen this like 40 billion times.

[@catstagestud08]

That was stunning. I've never heard that song that way.

[@imladrisorbust]

so much energy. this is amazing. i just love how much he gives this song.

[@ObsessedwithBroadway]

Karl I'm love with this song now! He does it so well I cain't help but love it! He's freakishly amazing, I don't get how he does it.

[@luce570]

immaculate, powerful, and all man!!!

[@Generalriku]

man, this guy can sing. also his facial expressions matched perfectly with his vocals. upcoming singers should learn from his performances.

[@mymixedtape05]

damn, best rendition ever, i love the end, how high he gets. such control! jealous!

[@EmilieSchnabel]

I LOVE THIS SONG! and his voice....

[@jberke]

Wow!!! When he goes into that last part... holy shit... it's unreal.

[@ColinTC]

wow! i am speechless..

[@ManhattanSonata]

That was truly phenomenal. I'm usually not for changing a melody so drastically like he did, as it quite often ruins the composer's intentions, but that WORKED. Not only did it work, it make it better. Thanks for sharing this.

[@nycmattb]

what a wonderful comment! I'm so glad that this clip was able to affect you in such a way. that's the power of great material sung by a great talent who knows his instrument inside out. Darius has been blessed with something great and he uses it to beautiful effect

[@tenor01]

this performance pretty sums up what it's all about for me.

[@berrettalbright]

he is great! i loved him in Children of Eden

[@jumpingjokerchick92]

this is pretty much my favorite thing ever.

[@morpheus0013]

This is incredible; it's EXACTLY what I want and expect from someone performing this song. I hope to see much more of this gentleman in years to come! Well done!

[@Mussso]

HOLY COW... This guy is frikken amazing!!

[@cmusoprano]

There is so much love in my heart for JRB. Ah, so good.

[@nycmattb]

all these great comments are exactly why I felt compelled to post this- it amazes me that more people aren't aware of Darius' incredible talent, and there's no better way to show it off than by tackling such a difficult song and handling it in a way that makes a lot of excellent tenors hesitant to even try it. Ty Taylor and Billy Porter both sing the hell out of this, but Darius just goes beyond the pale

[@nycmattb]

makes me so happy that everyone appreciates Darius so much! he's simply one of the most fantastic voices out there- and not a bad actor either. Saw him do a one-man Fringe show in '0g6 where he played like 6 characters and sang high throughout. an MP3 of this easy enough to make. just capture it from ur sound card

[@lexellcassini]

This man is so great! WOW!!!

[@DirtyRottenScoundrel]

I can't get over the sheer beauty of this performance. It's beyond incredible. It's inspiring, gobstopping, and haunting. Perfection. I'm playing Prospero in a production of The Tempest right now, and this song eerily parallels his story. Down to the lyric "Why am I sitting in this cell?" It's amazing. This song, and especially Darius's performance, has inspired me SO much. I never thought a KZbin video could effect my art so much. :)Masterful.

[@nycmattb]

once again it thrills me to see how much everyone loves this video. best thing I ever posted. BTW, I'm seeing him as Jesus in JC SUPERSTAR this weekend- actually flying down to Atlanta to see it... I get chills thinking of it!

[@theatremuse90]

why is he so incredibly amazing?!!!

[@mikeyman11]

thank god its back!!!

[@Unplugged516]

just to clear something up... the whole idea of going up the "octave" (technically), at the last chorus, was NOT Darius's idea. Billy Porter did it in the original performances of SFANW in '96. you just don't hear it because Ty Taylor did the actual cast recording, not Billy.

[@move2themusic]

WOW. I love how he shoots up an octave or two for the last chorus.

[@nycmattb]

thanks for the comments, everyone!! ain't nothing better than Darius...

[@IIIThreat]

What the hell!! OMG! That was freakin' amazing! Why does he have to be so damn good?

[@CuteDookey]

that really was jaw dropping. jesus christ.

[@ObsessedwithBroadway]

HOW is he so AMAZING??!! I like this eve better than his Lost in the Wilderness. SO GOOD!

[@ObsessedwithBroadway]

OH. MY. KARL. YOU ARE SEEING HIM IN JCS??!!! you are sooooooo lucky! I love him!

[@wperez]

he is ridiculously good.

[@Backstgartist]

I love Darius. He has an awesome voice :)

[@CVActor1]

WOW. I am speechless.

[@jkwynn1012]

His range is unlike anything I've heard. Brilliant!

[@UberWackyAmerican]

i am speechless

[@john352352]

he is SO GOOD!!!

[@Rainydayjar]

@Mog04 I see what you are saying about the ending. However, using this as an audition piece (and any song for that matter) is different than performing it at a concert. He is showcasing his talent, and producing a fantastic performance for the audience. It is safe to say that is a large part of what a concert is, wouldn't you?

[@dennisdamenace3500]

Crazy high notes at the end man that was amazing. Nice goin!

[@encorebc]

More Darius! Please tell me you have more to post!

[@Kornwolf91]

i know!!! i was excited to learn that he went to teh performance arts school im at now in NY

[@mysterywhiteboy41]

Jesus Christ. Awesome.

[@spookythebando]

Um. I'm still picking my jaw off the ground because he's so freaking AMAZING.

[@MissVivaLaVieBohem]

THIS GUYS FRIKKIN AMAZING

[@newyork2277]

dasmmmmmmmm i live..this dude sounds like me when i go n at church.......

[@Abbyo101]

Genius... Need I say more?

[@ObsessedwithBroadway]

This man is the Zeus of musical theatre.

[@riccofajardoofficial]

sheesh.. fantastic. overkill on the ending though, lol :)

[@EleahB]

i think he's amazing

[@shessomickey]

Brilliant!

[@amurr4]

daymn

[@bigmack636]

holy shit that was amazing!

[@SBL-Unofficial]

I don't know if I've ever seen anything like that.

[@falsetto81]

Darius de Haas=DELICIOUS!!!

[@imladrisorbust]

yes

[@MrRhino2009]

damn dude ur a total badass i mean........damn way to discourage other singers with the end of that thanx haha

[@nycmattb]

hah! I've actually not heard a single bad thing about this. I just think it's a shame this man doesnt get more recognition outside of NY

[@jordan9205]

Totally agree...

[@yCh1057]

i don't know..i kinda felt like those high vocals at the end was a little over the top!..but it was good!!

[@benliebert]

Holy shit

[@adamklesh]

um impressed sounds like an insult at this point...flawless

[@Mgcian55]

so is your personality for me.

[@SohGuhd]

HOLY FUCK. WIN!!!!

[@KevinRRose1]

yyyeesss. get it man

[@CDieman88]

nice

[@100percentSPAZ]

fierce.

[@Reggieheadenmusic]

Wow

[@pickleydoo]

yesss what a piamp! is jrb playing?

[@sparbz]

This guys gonna make Sharpe Nine the "Ridiculous Mother Fuckers"

[@flapintapper]

is there any video of that i would love to see it

[@flapintapper]

is this from the concert in may of 2005?

[@shorterac989]

hes amazing, are you an actor too?

[@flapintapper]

did anyone record any of that?

[@jaxonosu]

This is kind of ridiculous... I can't stop watching.

[@jaxonosu]

Obviously, this performance is incredible, and I am humbled by this mans talent and ability, but I think he screws up a lyric before "I was working for the people, I just wanted to be better". It could even be intentional, but I just can't understand what he's saying and would like to know. Can anyone make it out? According to the composer's site it should be "I was not challenging the system..."

[@mog04]

Im not entirely sure about this performance, dont get me wrong he is phenominal, and theres no doubt that his talent is extraordinary, but Im not sure that the big ending suited this song, I dunno maybe its a case of less is more, or just because you can do it doesnt mean you should, im very biased about this song anyway cos its my audition peice, so I may be wrong, but I thought he shouldnt have pushed the ending as much.