Dido Armstrong

I spent a lot of my childhood in my own head, making up stories. I didn't have a lot of outside influences, so I was able to make my own decisions about what I wanted to do.

I write about the things I feel strongly about.

I'm too much of a control freak.

Life for rent means that my life isn't really my own, I only rented it for a while, but if I don't manage to buy it, to own it, then nothing of what I think is mine is really mine.

My dad's Irish music was such a huge influence.

I went to study some orchestration stuff because I got so inspired working with all the orchestras.

I always want to bring emotion across in a straightforward way. I don't want to get histrionic when I'm singing. For me that's just not interesting; it goes too far down one road.

It's great to go on your own and discover new things just for yourself, to meet new people and all that. If you're all on your own, then there is nobody there to guide you and you have to make all the decisions for yourself. It's quite liberating in a way.

Looking back, I think that's why I did music. I'd get home from school and the house would be so quiet.

It's great to just disappear, grab a suitcase, switch the answering machine on and just go somewhere else.

Thirty is not an age for a woman anymore.

The older you get, the more you realize you're drifting toward a direction, and sometimes your significant other drifts into an opposite direction. You can't blame anybody for it.

It's actually amazing because you go so far into another side of your brain when you're studying something completely different, and I loved it.

I like being a strong, independent woman, and to be honest, I was never afraid to be on my own.

I feel very warm towards Mum and Dad for giving us the independence they did. My childhood, and the fact we didn't have a TV, gave me a boundless imagination.

In fact, I'd just like to own something. Everyone thinks I'm glamorous, rich and famous but all I've got is some recording equipment and a battered old BMW.

I really enjoy being single again. I spent a lot of time in a relationship and the nearer we came to the end, the more difficult it got. You don't see things clearly as long as you're still involved.