When Dido hits the stage, everyone automatically hushes, as if an angel has just passed by and made her presence known. Her voice has been labeled by many as that of an angel’s – ethereal, glowing and commanding with a silent power weaved elegantly through the notes and lyrics of her top hits. As audience members listen to her thread through familiar songs like “Life for Rent,” “Thank You,” “Here with Me” and her anthem “White Flag,” the British singer-songwriter commits herself to her music and her fans.
Her exposure to the arts stems its roots from her family. She hails from a family of writers, publishers and musicians. By the she reached her teens, she was well-versed in the piano, recorder and violin. She picked up the guitar later on, and dedicated her life to music-making by 1995.
With the help of her brother and record producer Rollo Armstrong, she was able to turn heads. Under Nettwerk, her first few recordings came out in the collections Odds & Ends (1995) and No Angel (1999). Her collaboration with Eminem in “Stan” soon catapulted her to the spotlight, a recognition which was subsequently cemented through her hit albums Life for Rent (2003), Safe Trip Home (2008), and Girl Who Got Away (2013).
Dido’s appeal stems not only from her voice. Her lyrics also tug personally and hit the hearts of those who get the chance to listen to her music. Image and poetry can be found in her words. In “White Flag,” the simplicity and analogy of unrequited love is demonstrated by the words to the chorus: I will go down with this ship / And I won’t put my hands and surrender / There will be no white flag above my door / I’m in love and always will be. Perhaps in response, fans continue to love her brand of music.