Always Evolving

Mastermind of Imagine Dragons, Dan Reynolds, has a knack for turning despair into good fortune. His issues with doubt and depression were transformed into multimillion-selling, stadiumfilling, hip-hop-bolstered success with songs on the Las Vegas band’s first two albums Night Visions and Smoke + Mirrors.

Now ready to return to the UK touring the upbeat, outwardly engaged and pointedly-titled third album Evolve, Dan is determined not to be held back by ankylosing spondylitis, the medical condition that has previously caused him to cancel shows.

Reynolds, 30, likens the disease to “extreme arthritis”, but with a summer of touring ahead he is determined it will not hold him back: “In some ways it’s been a good thing, as it makes me more conscious about taking care of myself. I eat healthily and I exercise regularly.

“I have to pace myself more, especially on the road. It’s hard, because we are all workaholics to some extent. We love playing live.

“The long-term outlook really varies from person to person, so I try to focus on the now instead.”

Reynolds has also had to balance the band’s runaway success with his role as a new father of three young daughters, including twins born last year.

“It’s probably the hardest part about being a musician,” he admits. “My family is everything to me and it isn’t easy to juggle travelling with being a dad.

“That said, I try to bring them with me on the road whenever I can, and we always find a way to make it work with rooms set up at the venues for the kids.”

Reynolds credits therapy for helping keep his own blues at bay.

“And sometimes a good run can fix a lot of problems,” he smiles.

Putting the attention on other people’s challenges as Imagine Dragons have with their impassioned LGBTQ advocacy can also help.

“The number of LGBTQ kids