Dido, the Still on My Mind singer, tells Us Weekly a little of what’s on her mind. Read on to learn 25 things about the British songstress, including her favorite hobbies, first concert and a funny celebrity encounter that left her starstruck.
1. I love walking for miles around London — and any city — to get a feel for where I am.
2. Mirror writing [writing in reverse] is a hidden talent of mine. I thought it was normal, but it’s apparently unusual. Leonardo da Vinci did it!
3. The most consistently influential person in my life is my brother [music producer Rollo Armstrong]. We’ve always worked together.
4. “Nothing Compares 2U” [written by Prince and made famous by Sinéad O’Connor] came out when I broke up with my first boyfriend. I remember wishing I could write a song that good to describe what I was feeling.
5. If I wasn’t making music, I’d want to learn to cook.
6. My first concert was Pat Metheny and Santana together, with my mum!
7. The best splurge I’ve ever made was on black patent boots that I wear with everything.
8. My worst personality trait is not being able to say no without feeling bad about it!
9. The best advice I’ve ever received was when someone told me to talk to myself as I would talk to a good friend. It changes the way you think about yourself.
10. I wish I had better dancing abilities!
11. A cheese sandwich is my biggest guilty pleasure.
12. The biggest misconception people have about me is that I’m Swedish.
13. I collected Smurfs when I was a kid. It’s the one thing I still have from my childhood.
14. “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan always makes me cry.
15. The strangest thing a fan has ever sent me was a picture of my lyrics tattooed up someone’s arm.
16. I accosted Emmylou Harris on a plane once, and she possibly thought I was bonkers — I later [accidentally] took her bags!
17. I couldn’t live without jeans!
18. My biggest regret has been not being a better guitar player. I’m working on it!
19. I worked as a waitress for many years after I left school.
20. I really love the view from up high, but I get vertigo, so it ruins it a bit!
21. Unnecessarily rude morning drivers are my pet peeve.
22. Harrison Ford and Christopher Walken were my celeb crushes when I was a teenager.
23. My first car was an Austin Allegro. It only turned left, not right, which made for some interesting and long journeys. Eventually the radiator exploded quite dramatically.
24. I would never, ever go bungee jumping.
25. To relax on a day off, I hang out with my family and play really silly games with my son [Stanley, 7, with husband Rohan Gavin]. After, I find I’ve forgotten about everything else in the world.
