In mid-2010, Hayes announced the completion of recording his fourth solo album, Secret Codes and Battleships, features 3 songs co-written and produced by Brian West and was mixed by Robert Orton, who is best known for working with Lady Gaga. On 17 April 2011, Hayes signed with Mercury Records’ Australian division and in August 2011 with EMI Records in the UK. The album was released in Australia on 21 October 2011, 24 October in the UK and 25 October in the US, with singles “Talk Talk Talk”, “Bloodstained Heart” and “Black Out the Sun” released before the album.
Hayes was born on 8 May 1972 in Brisbane, Australia. He is the youngest of three children. His early childhood was difficult, marked by his father’s alcoholism and domestic violence. His father became abstinent when Hayes was aged 11. He started performing for his mother in his lounge room from an early age. At Mabel Park High School, Hayes appeared in the school musicals Man of Steel (playing Jimmy Olsen) in 1988 and Bye, Bye, Birdie (playing Albert) in 1989. He also sang at school concerts before graduating in 1989.[citation needed] At school, Hayes was bullied and physically and verbally abused.
Hayes declined an opportunity to attend a performance academy in favour of studying teaching/education at the University of Queensland. He ended up deferring a degree to pursue a musical career.