Latest news with #Dido
Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Arts Picks: DnA Fest, Hannes Schmid, NLB Read30
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Dido & The Belindas by T:>Works was first shown as a work-in-progress during Singapore International Festival of Arts 2024. T:>Works' DnA Fest Singapore theatre vanguard T:>Works is marking its 40th anniversary with 11-day DnA Fest. The acronym is short for English composer Henry Purcell's Dido And Aeneas, but the classic 17th-century opera of spurned love has been wrenched in radical directions. Artistic director Ong Keng Sen reframes the lament to tackle mortality, inclusivity and, more rambunctiously, drag and underground ballroom culture. There are three parts to his maximalist vision, with tickets available separately. First is a film The House Of Janus, which premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival in 2024. Ong directed it in his Italian hillside home in Bettona with an international crew. His homestead with his nonagenarian partner, Adriaan van der Staay, becomes the setting for a reckoning with old age and separation, immersing viewers in the clashing aesthetics of cinema verite and operatic fantasy. Dido And Aeneas was the first opera the partners listened to together in the house 16 years ago, and remains a summer tradition. Second is an extension of T:>Works' work-in-progress presentation at the Singapore International Festival of Arts in 2024, an unabashedly theatrical twist on the original Dido And Aeneas story. Dido's rejection becomes a defiant statement from a place of social marginalisation. Drag queen Becca D'Bus is Dido, queen of Carthage. Her handmaid, Belinda, proliferates to become the Belindas, a whole 'tribe of the abandoned'. Ong reserves some surprises here in its composition. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump's ambassador nominee to Singapore Anjani Sinha has a rough day at Senate hearing Asia Dr Mahathir at 100: Still haunted by the Malay Dilemma Singapore What's next for PSP following its post-GE leadership shake-up? Singapore 'Give a positive review': Hidden AI prompt found in academic paper by NUS researchers Singapore NDP 2025: Diamond formations, 'multi-axis' fly-past to headline parade's aerial display Business New Career Health SG initiative launched to support both S'pore workers and employers Multimedia 60 objects to mark SG60: Which is your favourite? Singapore Apex court upholds SMC's conviction of doctor who gave patients unapproved hormones This is a fully fledged production, with live singing by lyric tenor Thomas Michael Allen and party atmosphere supplied by DJ Toru Yamanaka. Late-night parties that centre the glamour of trans and queer culture with runway competitions and high energy voguing – dancers striking poses inspired by those of models in fashion magazines – is the final piece of the trilogy. Ong says DnA Fest is about building solidarities. 'Nightlife and voguing are very separate from the theatre scene, but we need to have more alliances, to open up the space to talk about being at the margins without necessarily becoming agenda-full. There must be more in our lives apart from the mainstream.' Still from The House Of Janus. PHOTO: T:>WORKS Where: 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road MRT: Fort Canning When: July 16 to 26, various timings Admission: $12 for film, $40 for show, $25 (advance) and $30 at the door for night parties. Entry to all at $58 with DnA Pass Info: Hannes Schmid: A Life In Pictures For Gods Only series by Hannes Schmid on show at Appetite. PHOTO: MICHELLE MEI In 2001, Swiss photographer Hannes Schmid chanced upon a Taoist opera theatre in an open field in Punggol, where the actors insisted on playing to 100 empty chairs. Initially shooed away, he spent the next four years earning the troupe's trust until he was adjudged to have won the favour of the gods. His subsequent photo series, For Gods Only, offers a glimpse of the backstage and propitiation rituals of the since-disbanded troupe. These are overlaid with his Singaporean father-in-law's calligraphic Chinese characters, and are on display at restaurant, record lounge and art gallery Appetite in Amoy Street. The Swiss artist has led a storied life of immersing himself in his subjects. At a media preview, he regales listeners with stories about piercing his tongue for Thaipusam – 'I was bleeding like a pig' – and being held captive by cannibals in the mountains of now South Papua, Indonesia, when he went in search of American Michael Rockefeller, who vanished in Dutch New Guinea in 1961. Schmid's photos from another series, Blackstage, in which he photographed members of legendary bands AC/DC and The Rolling Stones, and another bringing together fashion and wildlife – think woman standing atop a herd of elephants – are also on show. Today, he spends much of his time fund-raising for the Cambodian commune he founded called Smiling Gecko, comprising farm, culture and music school, and spa, which has been labelled 'social art' for the way it uplifts local communities. Proceeds from the charity auction on Aug 2 will go to this project. Photo from Hannes Schmid's series combining fashion and wildlife. PHOTO: MICHELLE MEI Where: Appetite, 72A Amoy Street MRT: Maxwell/Telok Ayer When: Till Aug 10, from 6pm or by appointment, Tuesdays to Fridays; noon to midnight, Saturdays Admission: Free Info: NLB Read30 Visuals paired with book quotes are part of NLB's sensorial experiences for Read30. PHOTO: NLB To mark the National Library's 30th anniversary as a statutory board, it is hosting NLB Read30, a marquee edition of its biennial Read! Fest. Multi-sensory experiences have been created to ensure words leap off the page. Smell the world of C Pam Zhang's Land Of Milk And Honey or run your fingers over an installation inspired by Rachel Heng's The Great Reclamation at the National Library Building. The weekend will also usher in a charming market for literary accessories, including customised book sleeves and artisanal wares. Singaporean personalities like playwright Myle Yan Tay and celebrity chef Violet Oon have handpicked books for browsing and buying in eight pop-ups in central locations, from Ion Orchard to The Cathay. It is a good occasion to purchase that book you have been eyeing, with 10 per cent discounts on selected titles on the webstores of Closetful Of Books, Wormhole and Basheer Graphic Books. There is also a heavyweight panel at the National Library building on July 26 bringing together four current and former Singapore Writers Festival directors, titled The SWF Directors' Cut: Sing Lit, How Are You? This is free with registration at
Extra.ie
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
'90s Dublin pop band reunites for upcoming album
Two original members of '90s Dublin pop band SWIM have reunited to record their upcoming album NIGHTSTOCK. After more than three decades apart, vocalist Joe Reilly and composer John McCrea reconnected in 2025 with the intention of creating and releasing new material. According to a statement, Reilly sought freedom to express himself through lyricism while McCrea endeavoured to break from the norm of conventional song structure. NIGHTSTOCK is the product of the duo's new experimental approach to songwriting. The seven tracks on the album were recorded in just a few sessions with Reilly, McCrea and producer Ger McDonnell, whose credits include U2, Dido, Def Leppard and more. 'Tony's House,' the first single from the album, is set to be released this Friday, July 4, with a music video directed by Cork videographer George Hogan. Reilly said the concepts for 'Tony's House' came in a stroke of inspiration while reading an Edward Hopper art book in between recording sessions. 'During the recording sessions for NIGHTSTOCK, the band were experiencing some difficulty with one of the longer pieces on the album and decided to take a break. I was flicking through 'The Paintings of Edward Hopper' and the painting 'Tony's House' in particular caught my imagination,' Reilly said. 'Within half an hour, I had come up with the lyrics for 'Tony's House,' the song. Having shown the lyrics to John, the music was quickly composed, and the accompanying keyboard track was recorded in one take. The vocals were put down in a few passes, and so 'Tony's House' appeared within a matter of hours. Ger then added his usual studio magic, et voilà.' SWIM were first formed in 1988 with their freshman record, Sundrive Road, produced by Steely Dan's Gary Katz. After the release of Sundrive Road, the band toured with the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Cher. They disbanded in 1991 due to band members' reluctance to continue touring. In 2020, Hot Press included SWIM on a list of '90s Irish bands that could have been massive.' The entirety of NIGHTSTOCK will be released August 14 at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. The band currently have no plans to play live.
Daily Mail
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Where is Dido now? How iconic Noughties singer, 53, who raked in £1M a MONTH vanished from the spotlight amid family tragedy and swapped fame for a 'very ordinary life'
Dido found fame in 1999 with her debut album No Angel, which featured hit song Thank you, and along with follow Life For Rent remains among the best-selling albums in UK chart history. The songstress, now 53, was then catapulted to superstardom when she duetted with Eminem on his iconic track Stan, won numerous awards, sold a whopping 40M records and briefly became the world's biggest female pop star, raking in a whopping £1M every month. But Dido, whose real name is Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong, suddenly at the height of her fame vanished from the spotlight, revealing years later her shock decision to embrace a 'very ordinary life' was in fact due to a family tragedy. The singer, who this year released a special anniversary vinyl edition of her debut No Angel, told MailOnline in 2019: 'I needed to come home, my father was ill and there were more important issues going on than my career.' Dido's father, publisher William O'Malley Armstrong - who has not been pictured - was a colourful character on the literary scene, had developed lupus, a degenerative auto-immune disease. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I wanted to be home where I could go and see my dad every day. That was more important than anything. When you have lupus you know you are going to die, so we all had time to be with him, to say everything we wanted, but death still comes as a shock.' Dido revealed was singing one of his favourite Irish songs, Raglan Road, to her beloved father when he passed away in 2006 aged 69, just three days before her 34th birthday. After her father's death, she flew to Los Angeles: 'I went for a few weeks to give myself space to think about my dad and that turned into two years'. Admitting the only music she could write in that time were songs about her father: 'They were so personal. I performed them only once in Los Angeles and it was too hard.' Her next album 2008's Safe Trip Home was largely overlooked and failed to make an impact in the charts, but while in LA she met and later married children's author Rohan Gavin and in 2011 gave birth to their son Stanley. Dido made her comeback in 2019 with album Still on My Mind before going on to work with the likes of newer pop stars Grimes, said despite her quieter public image has continued making music. She told The Telegraph: 'I have been having a lovely time, being with my family, seeing friends, seeing the world, But the music never stopped. 'I am always singing, always writing songs. Music is how I make sense of the world. I just stopped playing it to anyone but my family'. She told MailOnline in 2019: 'I needed to come home, my father was ill and there were more important issues going on than my career' (pictured 2001) Dido revealed she was singing one of her father's favourite Irish songs to him when he passed away in 2006 aged 69, just three days before her 34th birthday (Pictured 2003) Later admitting that she had struggled to write quality songs after becoming a mother, telling Graham Norton on his BBC 2 Radio show in 2019: 'After I had my son I definitely have a couple of years where most of what I wrote wasn't very good'. 'I actually knew it at the time, when I write songs there's always a bit conflicted, but then when I had a kid I thought ''I'm quite happy'. In her 20 years of showbusiness Dido scooped four BRIT Awards and been nominated for two Grammy's, and was even nominated for an Academy Award in 2011 for the song If I Rise, which featured in the film 127 Hours. But she now lives a much quieter life and said she can travel around London on public transport without being recognised. 'I have no problem living a very ordinary life, Very occasionally someone will come up to me and say: 'You look a bit like that singer called…' She continued: 'And most times they don't even remember the name, so I smile and get on with what I'm doing.' She now lives a much quieter life and said she can travel around London on public transport without being recognised (pictured on stage in 2019) But now at the age of 53 said she refuses to bow down to record companies and will only tour and release music on her terms. 'I couldn't do anything if I was pressurised. That has never worked for me,'. The singer, who is no reportedly worth £10M, spoke candidly about her wealth but said she doesn't buy 'big things' like flashy sports cars, saying instead that money has bought her freedom. 'The benefits of having money are being able just to get up and go to the Grand Canyon because you all really want to see it. And then to be able to talk to your son and your husband about it for years afterwards.' WHAT IS LUPUS? What is lupus? It is one of the chronic autoimmune conditions, where the body makes antibodies against itself and starts to attack it. Lupus – Systemic Lupus Erythematotsus (SLE) – has a range of severity. Some sufferers will have only mild problems, others have life-threatening organ damage to the heart and the kidneys. What are the symptoms? Tiredness, joint pains and muscle aches. A common first symptom is joint stiffness, particularly in the mornings. Skin and hair problems are a major feature of SLE – a rash in the shape of a butterfly over the cheeks and nose is common, as is hair loss and sensitivity to the sun. Other problems include depression and lung and heart disease, as well as kidney inflammation. What can it be mistaken for? It is often mistaken for other joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis which is also characterised by morning joint stiffness. It can also be misdiagnosed as a skin or blood disease. How is it diagnosed? If your GP suspects SLE they will request a blood test. The specific antibodies that attack the body can be measured in the blood. The diagnosis is made when there is the combination of typical symptoms and high antibodies. Who is at risk? SLE is ten times more common in women than men and usually develops between the ages 12 and 25. What is the treatment?
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dido's REAL name revealed as noughties pop celebrates anniversary of her iconic debut album
Dido became a huge pop star in 1999 and went on to work with the likes of Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Throughout her career, she was the recipient of several awards, including two Brit Awards and the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act. Although she disappeared from the limelight in the late 2000s, the now 53-year-old has continued to make music, with a comeback five years ago. However, while many of us know her as Dido, most don't know her name in full whlch is a rather lenghy one. He real name is Dido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. By the end of 2003, Dido was the world's best-selling female artist with a string of hits, including White Flag and Life For Rent. She toured the globe non-stop before dramatically putting the brakes on her career. to look after her father who was sick. 'The last big show I did was Live 8 (in 2005) and at that point, I'd been going hard at it for over six years and thought I'd take a little bit of time off. 'So I was just on a break. For 15 years.' Explaining why she had taken a break from releasing music, Dido admitted she struggled to write good songs after welcoming her first child Stanley with husband Rohan Gavin in 2011. She explained: 'After I had my son I definitely have a couple of years where most what I wrote wasn't very good. 'I actually knew it at the time, when I write songs there's always a bit conflicted, but then when I had a kid I thought ''I'm quite happy.''
ABC News
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Babe Rainbow cover Dido's 'Thank You' for Like A Version
Babe Rainbow parted the clouds and brought the sunshine in on Dido's 'Thank You', a track that always makes us think about grey, rainy days. In their Like A Version debut, the dreamy psychedelic Byron Bay band took the 2000s ballad (also sampled by Eminem in 'Stan') in from the cold, wrapped it in a towel and brought it a hot drink. With warm-toned acoustic guitar, fuzzy bass and delicate vocals, Babe Rainbow transported us from a dreary London street to the crystalline waters off the North Coast. "It was really nice, especially playing the nylon so low," guitarist Jack Crowther said. "It had this deep resonance and then when Angus [Dowling, singer], when we decided that was the key, his voice was weaving so nicely with the guitar. "It felt really cool, just him and I singing it." It's a gorgeous shift on Dido's original, feeling like the first touch of sunshine on your skin after a long, dark winter. We reckon this might just be the best day of their lives. Check out more from Babe Rainbow's mellow visit to the Like A Version studio below. Behind Babe Rainbow's cover of Dido's 'Thank You' for Like A Version Babe Rainbow — 'Long Live The Wilderness' (live for Like A Version) Posted 55m ago 55 minutes ago Thu 5 Jun 2025 at 10:30pm
