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DIDO: THE NON-ANGEL’S LIFE FOR RENT << back l page 2
Unforgettable tracks from her first album include the melancholy opener, "Here with Me," which was used as the title music for the US teen sci-fi drama, Roswell where Dido croons, "I cannot be until you're resting here with me," to the haunting melody that incorporates acoustic rhythm guitar, fluid strings, and a snare-driven tempo; the Eminem-sampled track, “Thank you” that begins with THAT haunting vocal; and the final bonus track, "Take My Hand," which is an upbeat mix of Rave, House, Chick Music, and intense feeling, combined with a beautiful melody which showcases the full range of Dido’s vocals making it the perfect end to a perfect album.
Aside from her collaboration with Eminem, Dido has also contributed to material by Britney Spears and Santana. In Shaman, veteran guitarist Carlos Santana dutifully places hooks alongside Dido in one of her trip-hop hymns, "Feels Like Fire" where his instantly recognizable guitar – with its sustain and fringe of distortion, its bluesy sting or its impulsive flamenco-like tremolos – add, just as always, that passionate, humanizing touch. As for teaming up with Britney Spears, Dido penned "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" for the pop princess’ movie debut, Crossroads.
In August, 2000, just a little over a year since the release of Dido’s debut album, No Angel was certified gold. And that was just the beginning, because by July 2001, No Angel would be certified four times platinum. To gain more publicity for her album, Dido began touring the U.S. in mid-2000 and even opened for a few Sting concerts. In January 2001, No Angel hit the US Top 10 LP charts. On that same month, Dido was nominated for a Brit Award in the category for “Best British Female Solo Artist. ” And that was just the beginning. By April 2001, Dido was nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite New Female Artist. By September 2001, Dido's video for "Thank You" was nominated for a MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video. However, despite numerous nominations, the nominations remained just that – nominations. Until in November of that same year when Dido was nominated for Best Female Act and Best Album (No Angel) and she (finally!) won a MTV Europe Music Awards for Best New Act. And then she was on a roll! In a little over 18 months, Dido has lept from obscurity to fame and fortune and won two Brit Awards at the 2002 Brit Awards ceremony where she won Best British Female Solo Artist and Best British Album. Incidentally, at that same award ceremony, Dido was nominated for Best Newcomer only to have it been withdrawn after officials admitted they had wrongly included her in the category. The Official UK Charts Company, who compiled the list of eligible entrants have apologised to Dido and her record company for their mistake. Despite the mix up, Dido still did well at this year's ceremony, taking home the two awards that night. She also garnered three World Music Awards for World's Best-Selling British Artist, World's Best-Silling Pop Female Artist, and World's Best-Selling Adult Contemporary Artist at the 2002 World Music Awards. In addition to this, the ASCAP Pop Music Awards also honored “Thank You” as Song of the Year.
Now, almost three years since the release of her debut album No Angel, Dido is set once again to take on the world with her dream-pop mixed with Portishead-esque trip-hop brand of music with the release of her eagerly anticipated new album Life For Rent under BMG Records. In the works since January 2002, Life for Rent is a follow-up to her successful debut 'No Angel', which was the UK's biggest selling album of 2001, shifting some 2 million copies. Throwing together folk, rock, pop, dance and hip-hop among others, Life for Rent is an album that guarantees a multi-layered aural experience, diverse enough to be appreciated by listeners of any kind of music. Adventurous yet still unmistakably Dido, Life for Rent features eleven new songs mostly written by Dido and Rollo Armstrong, who both also produced the album. Yes, despite No Angel's multi-platinum sales and the hype around the Eminem collaboration Dido kept production work in the family, working once again with her brother.
And while No Angel’s familiar mix of dance, hip-hop and rock, a pairing of electronic and acoustic music could still be found on Life for Rent, as this sophomore album offers some more extreme beats than the former which could be heard on one of the big catchy dance tracks is the sun-drenched “Sand in My Shoes” where Dido sings about the joys of time alone. Highlights are many and include the contagious title track “Life For Rent”, where Dido sings about life being for, well, rent, and the epic closer “See The Sun,” where Dido sings about craving a simple life by the sea. The absorbing tale “Mary’s In India”, the shiny hip hop of “Who Makes You Feel” and the evocative “Don’t Leave Home” would also prove to be unique and satisfying listening experiences.
“White Flag,” Dido's stunning new single from Life for Rent has been released last September. Plus, the video has also already been shot. Directed by Joseph Kahn, who has directed videos for the likes of U2, Moby and Eminem to name a few, the video features actor David Boreanaz (of Angel). Though Dido still maintains her formula for contemporary pop – contrasting elements of electronic and strings nestling side by side – “White Flag” showcases a new-found musical and lyrical confidence, though Dido still remains as candid and lyrically honest as she has always been with her soul-bearing song-writing:
I know you think that I shouldn't still love you I'll tell you that But if I didn't say it Well, I'd still have felt it Where's the sense in that?
Typical of Dido to sing about life and love and everything else in between, “White Flag,” which is set to hip-hop beats with its refrain of “I’m in love, and always will be” will definitely be one of those classic I-still-love-you-but-I'll-never-admit-it song:
As I'm sure we will All that was then Will be there still I'll let it pass And hold my tongue And you will think That I've moved on
Well I will go down with this ship And I won't put my hands up and surrender There will be no white flag above my door I'm in love and always will be
Enhanced with Dido’s warm, expressive vocals, the song’s heartfelt lyricism works well in this relaxed, spare setting and will likely cause a stir, revealing not only a singer gifted with an enticingly understated voice, but also a mature songwriter who manifests a world-weariness far beyond her years. And this holds true for the rest of the songs in Life for Rent. The kind of CD that makes you want to sit back, close your eyes, empty your mind and relax for a while, tracks in this album are easy to relate to. Written from an intriguing perspective, the eleven songs on Life For Rent paint a varied and absorbing musical portrait of modern life. So is it experience-based and autobiographical? With that much heart in the songs, most likely it is.
Combining Dido's love for warm acoustic sounds with her classical music training and her brother's fascination for more urban sounds and beats and all things electronic gives Life for Rent the weight missing from much of trip-hop, turning it into both a new and classic at the same time.
In 1999, the music industry asked: Is the world ready for another ethereal pop diva diva? Now, four years later, it says much about Dido that, after the Brits success (at the 2002 ceremony where she won Best Female Solo Artist and Best Album), hanging with Eminem and global success, she’s still trying to work out her path through the world of fame. One-hit wonders come and go, but now with the release of her sophomore album, Life for Rent, Dido's real task is to prove that she is no one-album wonder. And this time there will be no Eminem, no older brother and no hit TV series acting as a catalyst.
But at the rate she’s going now, it appears like Dido has the world at her feet, thanks to hard work and talent. Plus, with quality songs that are guaranteed to make both her new album and her on-going career durable and successful, listeners could look forward to another four years – and most likely even more – of some well crafted, emotional, intense and passionate music from Dido. Whatever happens next.
© Valerie V. Mayuga, 2005
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While
the album follows the pattern set by No Angel and soundwise, the songs
remain the same, Life for Rent definitely showcases some deeper
songwriting. True, the tracks still do range from classic relationship
songs to stuff about life and philosophy. But more to that, the songs, built
around piano, acoustic guitar and subtle shades of electronic music and studio
wizardry, gentle and touching as they are, are more revelatory of Dido as an
artist and as a person.