Dido 'very excited' to bring tour to Dubai

The singer opens up to City Times about getting back on stage after 15 years and putting Dubai on her gig map

English singer-songwriter Dido, real name Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong, was catapulted into the spotlight when Eminem sampled her hit Thank You on his 2000 single Stan. Thank You, which also featured on the soundtrack of  the 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow starrer Sliding Doors,  would go on to become Dido's most ubiquitous hit off her debut album No Angel, which also gave us mellow, moving tracks like White Flag and Here With Me.
Dido is back on the road after a break of 15 years from performing and is bringing her 'Still On My Mind' tour to the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Friday. Talking to City Times about the enduring appeal of her older hits when she takes to the stage, she says, "It's absolutely incredible when I come to all these places in the world we've been this year and see everyone singing these songs from 20 years ago along with the newer ones. It's really emotional and I feel very lucky!"
She adds that she's 'very excited' about bringing her tour to Dubai.  "I've never been to Dubai before but met many fans from Dubai on the road. It's so nice to actually come to this city!"
Fans are thrilled to have her performing live again. What does it feel like to be back on stage? She admits she's "enjoying it more than ever now."

A 'warm' new album
Dido released her latest album, Still On My Mind, in March 2019 and in a review, Stacey Anderson of Pitchfork writes, "The UK goddess of lite pop still sounds serene, unbothered, and preternaturally confident." We ask Dido how she would describe the new album. "I think it's warm, emotional, electronic, easy going," she reveals.
Speaking of emotions, she says she "always writes from an emotional place," and describes her philosophy of music thus: "I don't listen to the noise around me. I just only listen to what comes from the heart when I write and play and always want to put my all into it every time."
Dido, who is married to author and screenwriter Rohan Gavin, and has a son, Stanley, says her family life is infused with creativity. "It's the fabric of our life - we all have fun being creative together, we all play music together which is so enjoyable."

'I feel so very lucky'
Dido has been in the music business for over two decades now. When we ask her what contributes to an artist's longevity, she says she doesn't really know, and adds, "I feel really so very lucky to be doing this 20 years on. I truly enjoy what I do and maybe that helps!"
When she looks back at her career, what moment comes up the most memorable? "There are so many, wow, but probably the moment I met Clive Davis in a hotel in London back in 1998 and he wanted to sign me as an artist. I will never forget that day or the meeting as it was the moment my life completely changed!"
Lastly, with Christmas coming up soon - what are her plans? "Well, we've been touring all year so my plan after this last show in Dubai is to go home and just be with my family. I'm so excited to do that!"
Dido's plans for 2020
2020 is considered a landmark year for many including Dubai which will host the Expo 2020. On a personal level, what are her hopes and plans for the New Year?
"I think the big thing for me of 2019 is I've fallen in love with touring and playing live in a way that I never did before so I will be doing more of that and just enjoying every minute with my family in the meantime. Happy New Year!
Tickets for Dido's concert on Friday at the Coca-Cola Arena are available at ae.bookmyshow.com