Dido

Biography

Born in London, England on Christmas Day 1971, Dido started off playing music just five years later. Singing, humming, and tooting away on her stolen recorder around the house, Dido showed the early potential to be a musical prodigy. At only ten, she could play both the violin and piano, and was accepted into the Guildhall School of Music in London, England. As a teen, Dido travelled around the United Kingdom performing with her classical ensemble.

Dido's first vocal gig came on an album for Faithless, a band her brother Rollo had formed. Interested in recording an album, but afraid to ask her brother for a break with his band, Dido spent much of her time loitering around the studio in hopes that she would be asked to contribute her vocals. Her persistance paid off. The release came out in 1995, and it received favorable reviews. Faithless toured the world for the next two years, selling an excellent five million copies of their album. Dido was loving the lifestyle - meeting all kinds of new people, and gaining excellent exposure.

After being offered a solo recording contract, Dido readied her first album "No Angel", an album she hoped would be a departure from the work she had done with Faithless. With solid vocals and lyrics, Dido was prepared to make her mark within the industry. Always self-sufficient, Dido also made the decision to produce the album herself, along with the help and experience of her brother. This decision resulted in her having final control over the sound and scope of her recording. The album was released in 1999 to critical appreciation, but little attention.

Dido continued to promote her work- performing in clubs, as well as contributing her song "Thank You" to the soundtrack of the film, "Sliding Doors." The song gathered the attention of one rather influential individual - rap star Eminem. Interested in sampling a portion of the song for one of his recordings, Eminem approached Dido about a collaboration, and she quickly agreed. The song - titled "Stan," was a runaway success, and it opened the door for Dido, providing her with instant exposure to a large audience.

Since her collaboration with Eminem, Dido has received a major promotional push from her record company, Arista Records. The result left her not only on critic's top ten lists, but also climbing Billboard's charts.