We're mired in a glut of boy groups. But if anyone doubts that members of Savage Garden really believe the catchy romantic goo they've been shovelling, trust me, they do. This duo - which came out of nowhere (close: Australia) to become the biggest teen scream since the Backstreet Boys - is for real. A refreshingly candid phone interview with singer Darren Hayes made that abundantly clear. The group performs in the Coliseum Thursday.

"I'm not afraid to feel," says the 26-year-old. "I doubt that I cry more than my female date would, but I am definitely not afraid to shed a tear at a film. I guess my job is that I get to pour out my heart on stage. Maybe when people listen to the record and say I'm really romantic, maybe I'm just romantic in those very public moments when I write a song or get up on stage and I share it with the whole world. But I think we all feel what I feel.

"I cannot write or sing a song unless it's from my heart. I think I'm a hopeless romantic in that I find unrequited love, or lost love, more exciting than 'everything's-feeling-groovy' kind of love. And it's just relationships in general, whether it be with my brother or my best friend or the love of my life. I don't think I'll ever get tired of writing about those things."

With instrumentalist partner Daniel Jones, Hayes has poured his sensitive feelings into Savage Garden's music with spectacular results. The group has just the one, self-titled album under its belt, but several singles have rocketed up the charts. The song Truly Madly Deeply has the distinction of finally knocking Elton John's Candle in the Wind '97 off the top of the charts in North America. Hayes admits he has mixed feelings about it, having been deeply affected by the tragic death of Princess Diana.

"Daniel used to often say we blew out Elton's candle," he laughs.

"It's weird, actually. Princess Diana's death was just an incredible event in modern history. It changed a lot of people's perceptions and it certainly stopped my world for a long time. We were in England for the funeral. I remember being one of millions of people that went to watch the coffin go by. It was an amazing experience. So when that song was at No. 1 forever, I never felt any competition. I just felt it was amazing.

"But it was a big honor to me (to have the No. 1 song). The reason people were buying (Candle in the Wind) was because of the effect of that person's death. And at the end of that mourning process, it was really nice to have this happy little love song at the top of the charts for a little while."

Unlike a majority of the boy groups' crooning, preening and (if they can) dancing for attention, Savage Garden created its own shtick before a major record label or producer ever got involved. Five years ago, Hayes and Jones were in a cover band called Red Edge ("bad name, bad band," Hayes recalls). Tired of the bar scene, they soon toasted the act and quit the live stage to write songs together - basically in the same, though more slick, style that fans hear now. In the waning grunge rock movement, what Savage Garden did wasn't considered cool at all, but persistence paid off. When "the scene shifted" to a happier, more carefree pop sound - thank the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys for opening the floodgates - the duo was ready to cash in.

Inspired by boyhood heroes like Madonna, Michael Jackson and Duran Duran, Hayes says he knew he'd be a star all along.

"This is going to sound crazy, but I think I've always known since I was a little kid that I would do this. I always had an inkling. I'm not an extremely religious person, but I believe in destiny, I believe in purpose. And I believe that there are those moments if I walk down the street and kids scream and I make them smile, or I see a couple and the woman's pregnant and the man's got his hand on the woman's tummy when I'm singing Truly Madly Deeply or when little girls think that To the Moon and Back is the story of their lives, I know that it's worthwhile and I was meant to do it."

With confidence like that, you have to believe that he really believes what he sings. Of course, millions of young women are hip to that already.

Tickets to Savage Garden are still available, for $37.75 (plus service charges) at Ticketmaster (451-8000).

SAVAGE TRUTHS

Members: Darren Hayes, vocals; Daniel Jones, keyboards and guitars.

Ages: 26.

Home: Brisbane, Australia.

Album: Self-titled (1997).

Live show: Five-piece backing band, including a live drummer, some support sequencers, but no lip-syncing or DAT tapes. Says Hayes: "There are moments when I'll put in the head mike and things become quite theatrical and I think I'm David Bowie, but generally it's as colorful as the record. If you see us live, you'll get it."

Number of live concerts performed: 50 (as of June 18).

Hit singles: Truly Madly Deeply, To the Moon and Back and I Want You.

Hayes' first album bought: Thriller by Michael Jackson.

Hayes' favorite movies: "Chick flicks."

Hayes' review of Hope Floats: "I loved it."

Hayes' main inspiration: Madonna's Truth or Dare. "That's what got me into exercise and training my body and my voice," he says. "I looked at Madonna as this G.I. Jane superstar. I used to go jogging around my neighborhood at midnight sometimes and I'd be thinking, it'll all be worth it one day."

Hayes' opinion of Spice Girls: "I think they were incredible (note tense). Viva Spice Girls! Five girls, not that serious, don't know if they could sing or dance, but look, we're having fun. I bought that. I don't buy four or five guys who can't really sing and didn't write the songs. It pisses me off."

Opinion of Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync and other so-called "boy groups": See above.

Hayes' vision of the future: "I could see myself working on Broadway someday."