Dido (singer)
Encyclopedia
Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong (icon; born 25 December 1971), known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter
.
Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel
(1999). The album sold in excess of 21 million copies worldwide, and won several awards; including the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act, two NRJ Awards for Best New Act and Best Album, and two BRIT Awards
for Best British Female and Best Album. Her following album, Life for Rent
(2003), continued her mainstream success with the help of popular singles "White Flag
" and "Life for Rent
". The album went on to sell around 12 million copies worldwide and saw her receive more accolades; including the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year for "White Flag", two further BRIT and NRJ Awards, as well as a Grammy Award
nomination. Dido's first two albums, No Angel and Life for Rent, are among the best-selling albums in UK Chart history, and both are in the top 10 best-selling albums of the 2000s in the UK. Her third and latest studio album, Safe Trip Home
(2008), received critical praise to help maintain her success. She was nominated for an Academy Award for the song "If I Rise
". Dido has been ranked #98 of Billboard 200 Artists Music Chart based on the success of her music in the first decade of the 21st century.
, London
, on Christmas Day
1971. On her birth certificate
, her name was registered as Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong. Because she was born on Christmas Day, she also celebrates an "official birthday" on 25 June, following the example of Paddington Bear
. Her mother, Clare (née
Collins), is a poet, and her father, William O'Malley Armstrong, was an Irish
publisher and former managing director of Sidgwick & Jackson
. Her older brother, Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong, is better known as record producer
Rollo
, part of the British electronica trio Faithless
. Despite their impressive birth names, the pair were known from childhood by the names that are famous now — Dido and Rollo. Dido has made it clear that "Dido" is now her real name and not simply a stage name
or nickname
. Her name derives from that of the mythical Queen of Carthage. As a child, she had to deal with its ambiguous and unusual nature, which led to her being bullied and even to her pretending to have an ordinary name. As she explains:
and sent out by Nettwerk
management. Nettwerk had signed her after she was brought to their attention by her collaborations with Faithless
, the UK dance act spearheaded by her brother, Rollo Armstrong
(Dido co-wrote and provided vocals for album tracks, such as "Flowerstand Man" and "Hem of His Garment"). The collection was released by Nettwerk on CD-R acetate in 1995 and featured a mixture of finished productions and demo versions which she later considered for release on her debut album, released in 1999 as No Angel
. Odds & Ends brought her to the attention of Arista Records
, who signed her in the USA, striking a deal with her brother's record label, Cheeky Records
, to co-sign her. Of the tracks included on Odds & Ends, "Take My Hand" was included on all editions of No Angel as a bonus track; "Sweet Eyed Baby" was remixed and renamed to "Don't Think of Me", while "Worthless" and "Me" were released exclusively on the Japanese edition.
's Lilith Fair
tour. Through touring, both before and after the album was available, Dido's music began to receive more exposure. The first official single chosen by Dido and her label, "Here with Me", was used as the theme music
for the television program
me Roswell
. Arguably it was this, as well as the airplay on MTV throughout Europe of the single's video, which brought her mass attention.
In 1998, the music producer for the film Sliding Doors
picked her track "Thank You
" for the soundtrack. No Angel was first released in 1999, and Dido toured extensively to promote the record.
Eminem
helped introduce Dido to the US audience in 2000 when he sampled the first verse of "Thank You" in his UK number-one single "Stan
", after seeking permission from Dido herself; she also appeared in the music video as Stan's long-suffering girlfriend. She reportedly did not want to do the video at first, as she was uncomfortable with the scene in the video where she had to be tied up and have her mouth covered with duct tape, but later agreed to it and got along well with Eminem and the crew on set. (Ironically this scene was censored in the vast majority of versions) Interest soared in her debut album, leading it to hit charts in Europe on import sales alone, charting in the top five on the UK albums chart before its official UK re-release. "Thank You" was also sampled by the Airheadz
in their trance track "Stanley Here I am" originally as a bootleg, but later entering the UK Top 40 in April 2001.
went on to become the top-selling album of 2001 - both in the United Kingdom
and worldwide, debuting at, and returning to, number one in the official UK albums chart many times throughout the year. It spawned two Top Ten hit singles, "Here with Me" and "Thank You", a further Top Twenty hit, "Hunter
" and a fourth and final single release "All You Want" which reached the top 25. It was certified platinum in over thirty-five countries, and is estimated to have sold over 21 million copies worldwide.
It is the second biggest selling album of the 21st century in the UK. Dido's widely emulated hairstyle at this time became known as the "Dido flip
".
Her sold-out worldwide tour featured hip-hop artist Pete Miser
as her live band's DJ. No Angel claimed #97 according the Decade-end album chart by Billboard.
was released in 2003. Preceded by the hit single "White Flag
", the album sold over 152,000 copies in the first day alone in the UK, and went on to sell over 400,000 in the first week. Three further singles—"Life for Rent
", "Don't Leave Home
" and "Sand in My Shoes
"—were lifted from the album, with Dido embarking on a worldwide tour in support of the album (a DVD of footage from the tour was released in 2005 entitled Live at Brixton Academy
). It is the 4th biggest selling album of the 21st century in the UK.
Following her sold-out world tour of 2004, Dido was asked to perform at three of the Live 8
concerts on 2 July 2005—performing in London
, then at the Eden Project
in Cornwall, before flying over to Paris
, performing both solo ("White Flag") and duetting with Youssou N'Dour
("Thank You" and "Seven Seconds").
Also in 2005, Dido provided vocals for her brother's side project Dusted
on the album Safe from Harm
. She sings on the tracks: "Time Takes Time", "Hurt U" and "Winter" and she co-wrote three tracks on the album: "Always Remember to Respect & Honour Your Mother, Part 1", "The Biggest Fool in the World" and "Winter".
in October 2005 in Los Angeles
. The album was produced by Jon Brion
and Dido herself. Collaborators include Brian Eno
, Questlove, Mick Fleetwood
, Rollo Armstrong
and Matt Chamberlain
. Recording sessions were held at London's Abbey Road
and at Jon Brion
's home studio in Los Angeles
. During production of the album, Dido attended evening classes in music and English at the University of California, Los Angeles
.
Dido's official website was relaunched to coincide with the release of the album. The release of the album was postponed several times, though no official reason was ever given for this. The first single from the album, "Don't Believe in Love
" leaked to the Internet on 5 September 2008 and was made available digitally on 27 October 2008. The full album was leaked to the internet on the 1 November 2008, some 16 days before its official launch date. On 13 November 2008, the full album was available for a world premier listening at iLike
.
On 22 August 2008, Dido's official website confirmed that the album was to be entitled Safe Trip Home
, with the official release date of 17 November 2008. A free song from the album, "Look No Further" was made available to download from the site for a limited time. Other songs included on the album are: "It Comes And It Goes", "The Day Before the Day", "Never Want To Say It's Love" and "Grafton Street". The latter was composed in collaboration with Brian Eno
. The album cover features a photograph of astronaut Bruce McCandless II
during a spacewalk
, as part of space shuttle mission STS-41-B
.
In December 2008, Dido's song "Let’s Do The Things We Normally Do", was criticised by Gregory Campbell
, MP for East Londonderry
and Minister for Sports, Arts and Leisure for Northern Ireland, for referencing lyrics from a song, "The Men Behind the Wire
" which was written in the aftermath of the introduction of detention without trial
for persons accused of being members of paramilitary groups. Campbell described "The Men Behind the Wire" as "written about people who were murderers, arsonists and terrorists". Campbell suggested "she [Dido] should clarify her position so that her fans and the wider public knows where she stands on these things". The album failed to sell as well as her previous efforts, but it was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. In October 2010, former NASA
astronaut
Bruce McCandless
sued Dido for possible unauthorized use of a photo of his 1984 space flight for the album art of Safe Trip Home, which showed McCandless “free flying” about 320 feet away from the space shuttle Challenger
. The lawsuit - which also named Sony Corp.’s Sony Music Entertainment
and Getty Images Inc. as defendants - does not allege copyright infringement, only infringement of his persona.
. In July 2009, she claimed that the album, which is untitled, will have an electronic approach, in an attempt to take a totally different direction to her previous albums. In September 2010, "Everything to Lose
", was released via digital download, a track that had previously appeared on the Sex and the City 2
movie soundtrack. Dido has recently written songs for the forthcoming album from Jason Mraz
. A release date has not been set.
After recording "If I Rise
", A.R. Rahman
tied up with Dido for the official music video of the song.
According to Dido, via her official website, she has recorded the album in London
and in California
and she's described it as a big fun electronic extravaganza. Some songs were recorded in a hotel room with a keyboard
and a microphone
during a trip in America
. The album will feature collaborations from Rollo Armstrong
, Sister Bliss
, Lester Mendez
, A. R. Rahman
, Rick Nowels
, Greg Kurstin
and Jeff Bhasker and will be completed soon.
She has also stated she has got other new collaborations coming up. One rumored track is "The Girl Who Got Away", which is a collaboration with drummer Ash Soan.
, including "One Step Too Far
"—which was released in the UK as a limited edition single, where it debuted at number six—and "No Roots", the title track of the fourth Faithless album. Rollo
—Dido's brother—co-writes and co-produces much of Dido's solo material, including many tracks on No Angel
, Life for Rent
and Safe Trip Home
.
She provided guest vocals for each of the six studio albums by Faithless, from 1996's Reverence to 2010's The Dance
. Dido worked with her brother on a CD to accompany the children's book he wrote with Jason White, Safe from Harm; the CD is also titled Safe from Harm and the artist is listed as "Dusted". She co-wrote Britney Spears
's worldwide number one hit "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
", soundtrack feature track to Spears's first major film debut.
In 2006, she re-released the song "Christmas Day", although it failed to chart in the UK. This had appeared originally on a 2001 EP
of "All You Want" (a song from No Angel).
Dido has provided guest vocals to tracks by other artists including "Feels Like Fire" for Carlos Santana
's 2002 album, Shaman
, and a duet with Rufus Wainwright
entitled "I Eat Dinner (When the Hunger's Gone)" for the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
film soundtrack. A sample of the Dido track "Do You Have a Little Time" is used on the song "Don't You Trust Me?" by Tupac
, on the album "Loyal to the Game
", which was almost entirely produced by Eminem in 2004.
Annie Lennox
has joined forces with Dido and 22 other female artists to raise awareness of the issue of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to unborn children in Africa. The single "Sing
" was released on World Aids Day
on 1 December 2007, in conjunction with Annie Lennox's appearance at the Nelson Mandela
46664 concert in South Africa
.
In 2010, "Everything to Lose
", was featured on the Sex and the City 2
soundtrack. The song was written by Dido in her country house where she is recording her fourth album, which will have an electronic approach.
Also in 2010, Dido appears on the score of 127 Hours
, a thriller film directed by Danny Boyle
. The soundtrack features a mix of electric guitars with orchestral arrangements and sound loops. A.R. Rahman
, composer, and Dido recorded a song together called "If I Rise
" which is featured in the climax of the film. The song was nominated for Satellite Award
, Houston Film Critics Society Awards
and Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award
, and has been nominated for the 83rd Academy Award for Original Song
. It won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song. A music video of "If I Rise", featuring Dido and A. R. Rahman was also released on 17 February.
Dido is a keen Arsenal F.C.
fan and regularly attended matches with her father as a child. Dido briefly dated Sol Campbell
who played for the club at the time.
In February 2011, Dido posted a message on her official website, explaining to fans that she would not perform at the 83rd Academy Awards
because she was pregnant and was expecting a baby with her husband.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel
No Angel
No Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
(1999). The album sold in excess of 21 million copies worldwide, and won several awards; including the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act, two NRJ Awards for Best New Act and Best Album, and two BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for Best British Female and Best Album. Her following album, Life for Rent
Life for Rent
Life for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
(2003), continued her mainstream success with the help of popular singles "White Flag
White Flag (song)
"White Flag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second album Life for Rent on 1 September 2003. "White Flag" is the biggest hit of Dido's career. It is considered one of her signature songs, and helped Life for Rent sell over ten million copies worldwide...
" and "Life for Rent
Life for Rent (song)
"Life for Rent" is the second single released from Dido's second album, Life for Rent. The single was released on December 1, 2003, and was a relative success in the UK, peaking at #8 on the UK Singles Chart...
". The album went on to sell around 12 million copies worldwide and saw her receive more accolades; including the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year for "White Flag", two further BRIT and NRJ Awards, as well as a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination. Dido's first two albums, No Angel and Life for Rent, are among the best-selling albums in UK Chart history, and both are in the top 10 best-selling albums of the 2000s in the UK. Her third and latest studio album, Safe Trip Home
Safe Trip Home
The album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
(2008), received critical praise to help maintain her success. She was nominated for an Academy Award for the song "If I Rise
If I Rise
"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
". Dido has been ranked #98 of Billboard 200 Artists Music Chart based on the success of her music in the first decade of the 21st century.
Early life
Dido was born at St Mary Abbots hospital in KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on Christmas Day
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
1971. On her birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
, her name was registered as Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong. Because she was born on Christmas Day, she also celebrates an "official birthday" on 25 June, following the example of Paddington Bear
Paddington Bear
Paddington Bear is a fictional character in children's literature. He appeared on 13 October 1958 and was subsequently featured in several books, most recently in 2008, written by Michael Bond and first illustrated by Peggy Fortnum....
. Her mother, Clare (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Collins), is a poet, and her father, William O'Malley Armstrong, was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
publisher and former managing director of Sidgwick & Jackson
Sidgwick & Jackson
Sidgwick & Jackson is an imprint of publishing company Pan Macmillan. It was founded in Britain in 1908. Notable early Sidgwick and Jackson authors include poet Rupert Brooke and novelist E.M. Forster...
. Her older brother, Rowland Constantine O'Malley Armstrong, is better known as record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Rollo
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
, part of the British electronica trio Faithless
Faithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
. Despite their impressive birth names, the pair were known from childhood by the names that are famous now — Dido and Rollo. Dido has made it clear that "Dido" is now her real name and not simply a stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
or nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
. Her name derives from that of the mythical Queen of Carthage. As a child, she had to deal with its ambiguous and unusual nature, which led to her being bullied and even to her pretending to have an ordinary name. As she explains:
Early recordings: (1995–1996)
In 1995, Dido began recording demo tracks which were put together on a collection entitled Odds & EndsOdds & Ends
Odds & Ends is a collection of unfinished tracks and demo recordings by British pop singer, Dido. The collection was put together by her management team, Nettwerk, and released promotionally in late 1995, in order to gain interest from record companies so that Dido could be signed to a major record...
and sent out by Nettwerk
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
management. Nettwerk had signed her after she was brought to their attention by her collaborations with Faithless
Faithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
, the UK dance act spearheaded by her brother, Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
(Dido co-wrote and provided vocals for album tracks, such as "Flowerstand Man" and "Hem of His Garment"). The collection was released by Nettwerk on CD-R acetate in 1995 and featured a mixture of finished productions and demo versions which she later considered for release on her debut album, released in 1999 as No Angel
No Angel
No Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
. Odds & Ends brought her to the attention of Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, who signed her in the USA, striking a deal with her brother's record label, Cheeky Records
Cheeky Records
Cheeky Records was founded in 1991 by the producer/remixer Rollo Armstrong, brother of Dido.After releasing Frankë's - "Understand This Groove" and Gloworm's "I Lift My Cup" the label collapsed but was rescued in 1994 by Champion Records and was later bought out by BMG in 1999.-Notable artists:*...
, to co-sign her. Of the tracks included on Odds & Ends, "Take My Hand" was included on all editions of No Angel as a bonus track; "Sweet Eyed Baby" was remixed and renamed to "Don't Think of Me", while "Worthless" and "Me" were released exclusively on the Japanese edition.
Breakthrough (1998–2000)
Cheeky Records, to which Dido was signed, was sold to BMG records in 1999. This delayed the release of No Angel in the United Kingdom, but also allowed her to concentrate on promoting the album No Angel in the United States, including a slot on Sarah McLachlanSarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
's Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
tour. Through touring, both before and after the album was available, Dido's music began to receive more exposure. The first official single chosen by Dido and her label, "Here with Me", was used as the theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for the television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me Roswell
Roswell (TV series)
Roswell is an American science fiction television series developed, produced, and co-written by Jason Katims. The series debuted on October 6, 1999 on The WB and moved to UPN for the third season. The last episode aired May 14, 2002...
. Arguably it was this, as well as the airplay on MTV throughout Europe of the single's video, which brought her mass attention.
In 1998, the music producer for the film Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, and featured John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Virginia McKenna. The music was composed by David Hirschfelder...
picked her track "Thank You
Thank You (Dido song)
"Thank You" is a song by Dido. The song made its first appearance in 1998, on the soundtrack of Sliding Doors, although it was not released as a single until late 2000. It later featured on Dido's debut album, No Angel, becoming the album's biggest hit...
" for the soundtrack. No Angel was first released in 1999, and Dido toured extensively to promote the record.
Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
helped introduce Dido to the US audience in 2000 when he sampled the first verse of "Thank You" in his UK number-one single "Stan
Stan (song)
"Stan" is the third single from The Marshall Mathers LP, by rapper Eminem featuring Dido. It peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also included on Curtain Call: The Hits, performed with Eminem and Dido as well track 17 on Curtain Call: The Hits as a live Performance from...
", after seeking permission from Dido herself; she also appeared in the music video as Stan's long-suffering girlfriend. She reportedly did not want to do the video at first, as she was uncomfortable with the scene in the video where she had to be tied up and have her mouth covered with duct tape, but later agreed to it and got along well with Eminem and the crew on set. (Ironically this scene was censored in the vast majority of versions) Interest soared in her debut album, leading it to hit charts in Europe on import sales alone, charting in the top five on the UK albums chart before its official UK re-release. "Thank You" was also sampled by the Airheadz
Airheadz
Airheadz was a UK trance production duo based in London, comprising Leigh Guest and Andrew Peach. They were later joined by Caroline De Batselier who acted as vocalist and live performer....
in their trance track "Stanley Here I am" originally as a bootleg, but later entering the UK Top 40 in April 2001.
No Angel (1999–2002)
Her No AngelNo Angel
No Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
went on to become the top-selling album of 2001 - both in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and worldwide, debuting at, and returning to, number one in the official UK albums chart many times throughout the year. It spawned two Top Ten hit singles, "Here with Me" and "Thank You", a further Top Twenty hit, "Hunter
Hunter (Dido song)
"Hunter" is a song by British singer Dido released as the third single from No Angel, her debut album. "Hunter" went to the top ten on the World Adult Charts and top 20 on the UK Singles Chart while achieving top five success in Portugal and Greece...
" and a fourth and final single release "All You Want" which reached the top 25. It was certified platinum in over thirty-five countries, and is estimated to have sold over 21 million copies worldwide.
It is the second biggest selling album of the 21st century in the UK. Dido's widely emulated hairstyle at this time became known as the "Dido flip
Dido flip
The Dido flip was a female hairstyle of the early 21st century in imitation of the singer and songwriter Dido Armstrong. It was a "chopped" style that gave Dido a distinctive look, although, in general, she professed her aversion to performers' appearance detracting from their music.- The style...
".
Her sold-out worldwide tour featured hip-hop artist Pete Miser
Pete Miser
Peter Ho is an Asian American Hip Hop rapper and producer living in New York City who performs under the name Pete Miser.- Biography :Originally from Portland, Oregon, Pete Miser is involved in the hip-hop scene in the Northwest United States...
as her live band's DJ. No Angel claimed #97 according the Decade-end album chart by Billboard.
Life for Rent and Live 8 (2003–2005)
Life for RentLife for Rent
Life for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
was released in 2003. Preceded by the hit single "White Flag
White Flag (song)
"White Flag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second album Life for Rent on 1 September 2003. "White Flag" is the biggest hit of Dido's career. It is considered one of her signature songs, and helped Life for Rent sell over ten million copies worldwide...
", the album sold over 152,000 copies in the first day alone in the UK, and went on to sell over 400,000 in the first week. Three further singles—"Life for Rent
Life for Rent (song)
"Life for Rent" is the second single released from Dido's second album, Life for Rent. The single was released on December 1, 2003, and was a relative success in the UK, peaking at #8 on the UK Singles Chart...
", "Don't Leave Home
Don't Leave Home
"Don't Leave Home" was the third single released in the UK from Dido's second album, Life for Rent. It was officially released on April 12, 2004. Even though it didn't go further than number 25 on the UK Singles Chart, it stayed there for nine weeks...
" and "Sand in My Shoes
Sand in My Shoes
"Sand In My Shoes" is the fourth and final single from Dido's second album, Life for Rent. The single flopped in the UK, only reaching #29 on the UK Singles Chart. The single did find success in Europe and America...
"—were lifted from the album, with Dido embarking on a worldwide tour in support of the album (a DVD of footage from the tour was released in 2005 entitled Live at Brixton Academy
Live at Brixton Academy (Dido album)
Live at Brixton Academy is a live album and DVD set by Dido, released on 2005. It was recorded over three nights in August, 2004, at Brixton Academy in London during the Life For Rent tour...
). It is the 4th biggest selling album of the 21st century in the UK.
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concerts on 2 July 2005—performing in London
Live 8 concert, London
The main Live 8 concert was held at Hyde Park, London, England on 2 July 2005, in front of over 200,000 people. The show's logistics were managed by famed promoter Harvey Goldsmith.The event is also referred to as "Live 8 London" or "Live 8 UK"....
, then at the Eden Project
Live 8 concert, Eden Project
On July 2, 2005, a Live 8 concert was held at the Eden Project, Cornwall, England. The event was dubbed "Africa Calling", but was also known as "LIVE 8: Africa Calling" or "Africa Calling: LIVE 8 at the Eden Project"....
in Cornwall, before flying over to Paris
Live 8 concert, Paris
On 2 July 2005, a Live 8 concert was held at the Palais de Versailles, Paris, France.The event is also referred to as "Live 8 Paris" or "Live 8 France"...
, performing both solo ("White Flag") and duetting with Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
("Thank You" and "Seven Seconds").
Also in 2005, Dido provided vocals for her brother's side project Dusted
Dusted (band)
Dusted is the joint venture of two record producers, Rollo Armstrong and Mark Bates . Their best remembered track was "Always Remember to Respect and Honour Your Mother Part One" in 2001, which reached #31 on the UK Singles Chart...
on the album Safe from Harm
Safe From Harm
Safe From Harm the second album from Dusted, was released in 2005. It was a reworking of the outfit's 2001 debut, and was accompanied by an 80-page, illustrated hardcover book with the same name.-Track listing:#"In the Beginning" – 4:06...
. She sings on the tracks: "Time Takes Time", "Hurt U" and "Winter" and she co-wrote three tracks on the album: "Always Remember to Respect & Honour Your Mother, Part 1", "The Biggest Fool in the World" and "Winter".
Safe Trip Home (2008)
Dido started working on her third albumSafe Trip Home
The album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
in October 2005 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The album was produced by Jon Brion
Jon Brion
Jon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
and Dido herself. Collaborators include Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
, Questlove, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
, Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
and Matt Chamberlain
Matt Chamberlain
Matthew Chamberlain is an American drummer, producer and sound engineer. He is currently based in Los Angeles, California.-Early life:...
. Recording sessions were held at London's Abbey Road
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
and at Jon Brion
Jon Brion
Jon Brion is an American rock and pop multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer and record producer.-Early life:...
's home studio in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. During production of the album, Dido attended evening classes in music and English at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
.
Dido's official website was relaunched to coincide with the release of the album. The release of the album was postponed several times, though no official reason was ever given for this. The first single from the album, "Don't Believe in Love
Don't Believe in Love
"Don't Believe in Love" is a pop song performed by Dido. It is the only official single from her third studio album, Safe Trip Home, however, is the second overall. It was released on 27 October 2008.-Release:...
" leaked to the Internet on 5 September 2008 and was made available digitally on 27 October 2008. The full album was leaked to the internet on the 1 November 2008, some 16 days before its official launch date. On 13 November 2008, the full album was available for a world premier listening at iLike
ILike
iLike is an online service that allows users to download and share music. The website makes use of a sidebar that is used with Apple's iTunes or Microsoft's Windows Media Player. The program and sidebar are not required in order to use the site but allow for ease in discovering new artists....
.
On 22 August 2008, Dido's official website confirmed that the album was to be entitled Safe Trip Home
Safe Trip Home
The album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
, with the official release date of 17 November 2008. A free song from the album, "Look No Further" was made available to download from the site for a limited time. Other songs included on the album are: "It Comes And It Goes", "The Day Before the Day", "Never Want To Say It's Love" and "Grafton Street". The latter was composed in collaboration with Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
. The album cover features a photograph of astronaut Bruce McCandless II
Bruce McCandless II
Bruce McCandless II is a former naval aviator with the United States Navy and former NASA astronaut. During the first of his two Space Shuttle missions he made the first ever untethered free flight, using the Manned Maneuvering Unit.-Education:McCandless is the son of Bruce McCandless, a decorated...
during a spacewalk
Extra-vehicular activity
Extra-vehicular activity is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft. The term most commonly applies to an EVA made outside a craft orbiting Earth , but also applies to an EVA made on the surface of the Moon...
, as part of space shuttle mission STS-41-B
STS-41-B
STS-41-B was the tenth NASA Space Shuttle mission, launching on 3 February 1984 and landing on 11 February. It was the fourth flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Following STS-9, the flight numbering system for the Space Shuttle program was changed...
.
In December 2008, Dido's song "Let’s Do The Things We Normally Do", was criticised by Gregory Campbell
Gregory Campbell (politician)
Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
, MP for East Londonderry
East Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
East Londonderry is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency...
and Minister for Sports, Arts and Leisure for Northern Ireland, for referencing lyrics from a song, "The Men Behind the Wire
The Men Behind the Wire
"The Men Behind The Wire" is a song written and composed by Paddy McGuigan of the Barleycorn folk group in the aftermath of internment.The song was recorded by the Barleycorn in Belfast and pressed in Dublin by Release Records in December 1971...
" which was written in the aftermath of the introduction of detention without trial
Operation Demetrius
Operation Demetrius began in Northern Ireland on the morning of Monday 9 August 1971. Operation Demetrius was launched by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary and involved arresting and interning people accused of being paramilitary members...
for persons accused of being members of paramilitary groups. Campbell described "The Men Behind the Wire" as "written about people who were murderers, arsonists and terrorists". Campbell suggested "she [Dido] should clarify her position so that her fans and the wider public knows where she stands on these things". The album failed to sell as well as her previous efforts, but it was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. In October 2010, former NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
Bruce McCandless
Bruce McCandless II
Bruce McCandless II is a former naval aviator with the United States Navy and former NASA astronaut. During the first of his two Space Shuttle missions he made the first ever untethered free flight, using the Manned Maneuvering Unit.-Education:McCandless is the son of Bruce McCandless, a decorated...
sued Dido for possible unauthorized use of a photo of his 1984 space flight for the album art of Safe Trip Home, which showed McCandless “free flying” about 320 feet away from the space shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
. The lawsuit - which also named Sony Corp.’s Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
and Getty Images Inc. as defendants - does not allege copyright infringement, only infringement of his persona.
Fourth album and new collaborations (2009-present)
Dido began recording her fourth studio album just months after releasing Safe Trip HomeSafe Trip Home
The album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
. In July 2009, she claimed that the album, which is untitled, will have an electronic approach, in an attempt to take a totally different direction to her previous albums. In September 2010, "Everything to Lose
Everything To Lose
"Everything to Lose" is a song released by British singer Dido, as the first and only single taken from the soundtrack of the motion picture Sex and the City 2. The song premiered on Dido's official YouTube channel on May 9, 2010. The song was premiered on radio stations on 4 June, 2010...
", was released via digital download, a track that had previously appeared on the Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City 2 is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Patrick King. It is the sequel to the 2008 film Sex and the City, which is based on the HBO TV series of the same name....
movie soundtrack. Dido has recently written songs for the forthcoming album from Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
. A release date has not been set.
After recording "If I Rise
If I Rise
"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
", A.R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
tied up with Dido for the official music video of the song.
According to Dido, via her official website, she has recorded the album in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and she's described it as a big fun electronic extravaganza. Some songs were recorded in a hotel room with a keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
and a microphone
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
during a trip in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The album will feature collaborations from Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
, Sister Bliss
Sister Bliss
Sister Bliss is a British keyboardist, record producer, DJ, composer and songwriter. In the studio she is best known for her work with Rollo Armstrong, particularly as part of the now disbanded dance group Faithless.She started music at the age of five, when she learned how to play the piano...
, Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez is an American record producer and songwriter. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits including Shakira's "Underneath Your Clothes" and "La Tortura", Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair", and Nelly Furtado's "Te Busqué".Mendez worked with Carlos Santana...
, A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
, Rick Nowels
Rick Nowels
Richard Wright Nowels Jr. is a Grammy / Ivor Novello award-winning songwriter/producer who has worked with many of the most vibrant artists in contemporary music...
, Greg Kurstin
Greg Kurstin
Gregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
and Jeff Bhasker and will be completed soon.
She has also stated she has got other new collaborations coming up. One rumored track is "The Girl Who Got Away", which is a collaboration with drummer Ash Soan.
Other work
In addition to her solo work, Dido has co-written and provided vocals for tracks with FaithlessFaithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
, including "One Step Too Far
One Step Too Far
"One Step Too Far" is a song by Faithless from their third studio album Outrospective. This song peaked at #6 in the UK singles chart, #4 in the US Dance Club Play chart, and #21 in Australia. The song features Rollo's sister Dido on vocals...
"—which was released in the UK as a limited edition single, where it debuted at number six—and "No Roots", the title track of the fourth Faithless album. Rollo
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
—Dido's brother—co-writes and co-produces much of Dido's solo material, including many tracks on No Angel
No Angel
No Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
, Life for Rent
Life for Rent
Life for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
and Safe Trip Home
Safe Trip Home
The album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
.
She provided guest vocals for each of the six studio albums by Faithless, from 1996's Reverence to 2010's The Dance
The Dance (Faithless album)
The Dance is the sixth and last studio album by dance music act Faithless on their own record label, Nates Tunes, and first for PIAS Recordings. Dido is featured on the songs "North Star" and "Feelin' Good"...
. Dido worked with her brother on a CD to accompany the children's book he wrote with Jason White, Safe from Harm; the CD is also titled Safe from Harm and the artist is listed as "Dusted". She co-wrote Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
's worldwide number one hit "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman
"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Dido, with additional writing and song production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on February 5, 2002 by Jive Records, as the...
", soundtrack feature track to Spears's first major film debut.
In 2006, she re-released the song "Christmas Day", although it failed to chart in the UK. This had appeared originally on a 2001 EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of "All You Want" (a song from No Angel).
Dido has provided guest vocals to tracks by other artists including "Feels Like Fire" for Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
's 2002 album, Shaman
Shaman (album)
Shaman is the sixteenth studio album by Santana. Shaman was released on October 22, 2002 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 298,973. It was certified Double Platinum by the RIAA and Gold in Greece....
, and a duet with Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
entitled "I Eat Dinner (When the Hunger's Gone)" for the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (film)
# Will Young - "Your Love Is King"# Jamelia - "Stop"# Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Out of My Head"# Joss Stone - "Super Duper Love Pt. 1"# Mary J...
film soundtrack. A sample of the Dido track "Do You Have a Little Time" is used on the song "Don't You Trust Me?" by Tupac
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
, on the album "Loyal to the Game
Loyal to the Game
Sample credits* "Ghetto Gospel" contains a sample of "Indian Sunset" by Elton John* "Don't You Trust Me?" contains a sample of "Do You Have a Little Time" by Dido-Reception:...
", which was almost entirely produced by Eminem in 2004.
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
has joined forces with Dido and 22 other female artists to raise awareness of the issue of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to unborn children in Africa. The single "Sing
Sing (Annie Lennox song)
"Sing" is a song by Annie Lennox, released as the second single from her fourth solo studio album, Songs of Mass Destruction . The single was originally released as a digital download only single in late 2007. A limited 3 track edition was made available exclusively from The Body Shop from 10...
" was released on World Aids Day
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
on 1 December 2007, in conjunction with Annie Lennox's appearance at the Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
46664 concert in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In 2010, "Everything to Lose
Everything To Lose
"Everything to Lose" is a song released by British singer Dido, as the first and only single taken from the soundtrack of the motion picture Sex and the City 2. The song premiered on Dido's official YouTube channel on May 9, 2010. The song was premiered on radio stations on 4 June, 2010...
", was featured on the Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City 2
Sex and the City 2 is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Michael Patrick King. It is the sequel to the 2008 film Sex and the City, which is based on the HBO TV series of the same name....
soundtrack. The song was written by Dido in her country house where she is recording her fourth album, which will have an electronic approach.
Also in 2010, Dido appears on the score of 127 Hours
127 Hours
127 Hours is a 2010 biographical adventure drama film co-written, produced and directed by Danny Boyle. The film stars James Franco as mountain climber Aron Ralston, who became trapped by a boulder in Robbers Roost, Utah in April 2003....
, a thriller film directed by Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle
Daniel "Danny" Boyle is an English filmmaker and producer. He is best known for his work on films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Trainspotting. For Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle won numerous awards in 2008, including the Academy Award for Best Director...
. The soundtrack features a mix of electric guitars with orchestral arrangements and sound loops. A.R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
, composer, and Dido recorded a song together called "If I Rise
If I Rise
"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" which is featured in the climax of the film. The song was nominated for Satellite Award
Satellite Award for Best Original Song
The Satellite Award for Best Original Song is an annual award given by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :*1996: "You Must Love Me" performed by Madonna - Evita**"God Give Me Strength" - Grace of My Heart**"Kissing You" - Romeo + Juliet...
, Houston Film Critics Society Awards
Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010
The 4th Houston Film Critics Society Awards were presented on December 18, 2010. These awards for "extraordinary accomplishment in film" are presented annually by the Houston Film Critics Society based in Houston, Texas. The organization, founded in 2007, includes 22 film critics for print, radio,...
and Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Song
The Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Song is one of the annual awards given by the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.-1990s:-2000s: -2010s:...
, and has been nominated for the 83rd Academy Award for Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
. It won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song. A music video of "If I Rise", featuring Dido and A. R. Rahman was also released on 17 February.
Personal life
Upon the release of No Angel in 1999, after a long time promoting the album, Dido broke up with her fiancé, entertainment lawyer Bob Page, after a seven-year relationship.Dido is a keen Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
fan and regularly attended matches with her father as a child. Dido briefly dated Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell
Sulzeer Jeremiah "Sol" Campbell is an English footballer who is currently a free agent. A central defender, Campbell has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Notts County and Newcastle United, as well as the English national team.Born in East London to Jamaican parents, Campbell's...
who played for the club at the time.
In February 2011, Dido posted a message on her official website, explaining to fans that she would not perform at the 83rd Academy Awards
83rd Academy Awards
The 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ...
because she was pregnant and was expecting a baby with her husband.
Awards
- 2001: Nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female VideoMTV Video Music Award for Best Female VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
– "Thank You" - 2001: Nominated for the MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for Best Video of the Year, Best Rap VideoMTV Video Music Award for Best Rap VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video was first given out in 1989, and it was one the four original genre categories added at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. This award was last given out in 2006, as MTV did not bring it back in 2008 like it did with other genre awards...
, Best Male VideoMTV Video Music Award for Best Male VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video is one of the four original general awards that have been handed out every year since the very first MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, though, the award was briefly renamed Male Artist of the Year, and it awarded the artist's whole body of work...
, Best Directed VideoMTV Video Music Award for Best DirectionThe following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
and Best CinematographyMTV Video Music Award for Best CinematographyThe following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Cinematography in a Video. Madonna is the biggest Winner in this category with 3 wins....
– "Stan" (Eminem featuring Dido) - 2001: Won the MTV Europe Music Award for the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New ActMTV Europe Music Award for Best New ActThe MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994...
- 2001: Nominated for the MTV Europe Music Award for MTV Europe Music Award for Best FemaleMTV Europe Music Award for Best FemaleThe MTV Europe Music Award for Best Female is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994...
, MTV Europe Music Award for Best AlbumMTV Europe Music Award for Best AlbumThe following is a list of the MTV Europe Music Award winners and nominees for Best Album.-1990s:-2000s:...
(No AngelNo AngelNo Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
) and MTV Europe Music Award for Best SongMTV Europe Music Award for Best SongThe MTV Europe Music Award for Best Song is the main award of the EMA's. It was first awarded in 1994, when "7 Seconds" won it, and has been given out since. Lady Gaga,Pink and Beyoncé have been the big winners with two awards. In 2007 and 2008 the category was named Most Addictive Track, but in...
("Stan") ) - 2001: Nominated for the BRIT AwardBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for Best British Female Artist - 2001: Nominated for the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Female; New Artist
- 2002: Won the ASCAP Pop Music Awards for Song of the Year ("Thankyou")
- 2002: Won the NRJ Award for Best Newcomer
- 2002: Won the NRJ Award for Best Album - No AngelNo AngelNo Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
- 2002: Won the BRIT AwardBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for Best British Female Artist - 2002: Won the BRIT Award for Best British Album – No Angel
- 2002: Nominated for the BRIT AwardBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for Best British Video - "Thank You" - 2002: Won the World Music AwardsWorld Music AwardsThe World Music Awards is an international awards show founded in 1989 that annually honors recording artists based on worldwide sales figures provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . John Martinotti is an executive producer and co-founder of the show...
for World's Best-Selling British Artist - 2002: Won the World Music Awards for Best World's Best-Selling Pop Female Artist
- 2002: Won the World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling Adult Contemporary Artist
- 2002: Won the Meteor Ireland Music Awards for Best International Female
- 2003: Won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song ("I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a WomanI'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman"I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Dido, with additional writing and song production by Max Martin and Rami Yacoub for Spears' third studio album, Britney . It was released on February 5, 2002 by Jive Records, as the...
") - 2003: Won the World Music Awards for Best British Pop/Rock Female Artist
- 2004: Won the Ivor Novello Award for the International Hit of the Year with "White Flag"
- 2004: Nominated the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically ("White Flag")
- 2004: Nominated for the Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Female Pop Vocal PerformanceGrammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
– "White FlagWhite Flag (song)"White Flag" is a song by English singer-songwriter Dido, released as the lead single from her second album Life for Rent on 1 September 2003. "White Flag" is the biggest hit of Dido's career. It is considered one of her signature songs, and helped Life for Rent sell over ten million copies worldwide...
" - 2004: Nominated for the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Album (Life for RentLife for RentLife for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
) - 2004: Won the BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist
- 2004: Won the BRIT Award for Best British Single – "White Flag"
- 2004: Nominated for the BRIT AwardBrit AwardsThe Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
for Mastercard British Album - "Life For Rent" - 2004: Won the NRJ Award for Best international artist
- 2004: Won the NRJ Award for Best Album – Life for RentLife for RentLife for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
- 2004: Won the World Music Awards for UK's Best-Selling Artist
- 2005: Nominated for the the International Dance Music Awards for Best Dance Artist Solo
- 2005: Nominated for the the Groovevolt Music and Fashion Awards for Best Album; Female ("Life For Rent")
- 2007: Won an ASCAPAmerican Society of Composers, Authors, and PublishersThe American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization that protects its members' musical copyrights by monitoring public performances of their music, whether via a broadcast or live performance, and compensating them...
UK Award - 2008: Won an ASCAP UK Award for Songwriter of the Year
- 2010: Nominated for the Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical – Safe Trip HomeSafe Trip HomeThe album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100... - 2010: Nominated for the Brit Awards 20102010 BRIT AwardsThe 2010 BRIT Awards took place on Tuesday 16 February 2010. It was the 30th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. The ceremony was broadcast live on ITV1, hosted by Peter Kay with Fearne...
for BRITs Album of 30 Years - No AngelNo AngelNo Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001... - 2010: Won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2010Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2010The 16th Critics' Choice Awards, which were presented on Friday, January 14, 2011 at the Hollywood Palladium, honored the finest achievements in 2010 filmmaking...
for Best Song - "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" - 2010: Nominated for the Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2010The 4th Houston Film Critics Society Awards were presented on December 18, 2010. These awards for "extraordinary accomplishment in film" are presented annually by the Houston Film Critics Society based in Houston, Texas. The organization, founded in 2007, includes 22 film critics for print, radio,...
for Best Original Song - "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" - 2010: Nominated for the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards 2010Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards 2010The 14th Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, honouring the best in film for 2010, were given by the Las Vegas Film Critics Society on 16 December 2010.-Top 10 Films:# The Social Network# Inception# Black Swan# 127 Hours...
for Best SongLas Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best SongThe Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Song is one of the annual awards given by the Las Vegas Film Critics Society.-1990s:-2000s: -2010s:...
- "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" - 2010: Nominated for the Satellite Awards 2010Satellite Awards 2010The 2010 Satellite Awards, honoring the year's outstanding performers, films, television shows, DVDs, and interactive media, were presented by the International Press Academy at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 19, 2010...
for Best Original SongSatellite Award for Best Original SongThe Satellite Award for Best Original Song is an annual award given by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :*1996: "You Must Love Me" performed by Madonna - Evita**"God Give Me Strength" - Grace of My Heart**"Kissing You" - Romeo + Juliet...
- "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" - 2010: Nominated for the Academy Awards 201083rd Academy AwardsThe 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2010 and took place February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, Academy Awards ...
for Best Original SongAcademy Award for Best Original SongThe Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
- "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
" - 2010: Won the Denver Film Critics Society Award 2010 for Best Song - "If I RiseIf I Rise"If I Rise" is a song performed by A. R. Rahman and Dido, composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Dido and Rollo Armstrong. The song featured as the main theme for the Danny Boyle film 127 Hours, and was released as the first and only single from the album's soundtrack...
"
Discography
- No AngelNo AngelNo Angel is the debut album by pop singer/songwriter Dido. Originally released in June 1999 in the United States, the album found a mass audience when it was released worldwide in February 2001...
(1999) - Life for RentLife for RentLife for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid 2002...
(2003) - Safe Trip HomeSafe Trip HomeThe album received very positive reviews. Metacritic, which is a website that gives an average rating over a number of reviews, rates the album at 74 out of a 100...
(2008)
External links
- Official Dido website
- Video for "Us Two Little Gods" at The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
website.