Same old song for Dido, diva of pop

By LOUISA CLEAVE

She is the biggest-selling female pop star in the world - and Britney Spears is so not invited to her wedding.

British vocalist Dido faced New Zealand's teen press yesterday at a media conference dominated by questions about her favourite videos, old rumours and forthcoming marriage.

Hard to say what Dido made of it all, pleasant and polite as she was throughout the 25-minute session.

Maybe it was just another afternoon at the office for a famous pop star who still has fans hungry for her four-year-old album with 10 million sales worldwide.

Perhaps it is inevitable that when you have given thousands of press interviews around the globe you must sit through the same questions again and again.

The 29-year-old played in Auckland last night, running through all her hits and thrilling the crowd.

Much to the delight of the audience she played a new song, See the Sun.

Here is a sample of 25 minutes in the life of Dido. Some answers have been edited.

* What are the best and worst rumours about you?

The best was that I used to be a porn star. It was fantastic, and sadly not true.

The worst one is that Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are coming to my wedding.

* I heard another rumour that you like to measure the swimming pools wherever you go?

Well, I don't do it, someone does it for me. I love swimming and I hate it when you turn up ... and it's like the length of this [four-metre] table. I resent paying for a hotel that says it has a pool and doesn't.

* If you were a porn star, what would you call yourself?

I worked that out. What is it - your first pet and the street you lived in? So it would be "Tuffty Longsdale".

* What's your favourite music video of all time?

That's a tough one. The first one I saw and the one that had the most effect on me, like most people, was Thriller.

* What songs make you cry?

The song that made me cry recently was Angel, by Sarah McLachlan. I have no idea why. I was just driving in my car and heard it and suddenly I'm in floods of tears. I'm not quite sure what that was about.

* You're born on Christmas Day - ripped off?

I don't know any different, obviously. It's usually half way through lunch that some member of my family will be, like, 'It's your birthday' and then say, 'That's a double present'. There's something nice about the fact that the whole world stops and seems to celebrate your birthday. There's also something really irritating about the fact I've never managed to have a party on my birthday because all my friends are away.

* If Justin and Britney aren't, then who is invited to your wedding?

My mum and dad. My mates and my family. I'm so not having an interesting showbiz wedding.

* Strangest encounter with a fan?

That would have to be in Florida. Just this lunatic. I think it was a woman, but we're still debating.

He/she just totally launched at me as I was about to go on stage.