Dido Biography

Electronic pop chanteuse Dido entered London's Guildhall School of Music at age six, and by the time she reached her teens had already mastered piano, violin, and recorder. After touring with a British classical ensemble, she accepted a publishing job, in the meanwhile singing in a series of local groups before joining the trip-hop outfit Faithless -- helmed by her older brother, the noted DJ and producer Rollo -- in 1995. As the group's 1996 debut, Reverence, went on to sell some five million copies worldwide, Dido began working on solo material, developing a lushly ethereal sound combining elements of acoustic pop and electronica; signing with Arista, she released her debut LP, No Angel, in mid-1999, and toured with the Lilith Fair that summer. Her biggest break, however, came the following year, when rap superstar Eminem sampled the No Angel track "Thank You" for the chorus of his hit single "Stan," to surprisingly touching effect. Demand for the Dido original escalated quickly, and "Thank You" became a Top Five smash in early 2001, as did the album, which topped sales of 12 million copes worldwide by the time Dido returned to the spotlight two years later. In September 2003, Dido released her long-awaited follow-up, entitled Life for Rent. This sophomore effort was layered with personal hardship and heartbreak, marking some of Dido's more honest material yet.

Jason Ankeny.