Number 94- Candida Doyle Biography - 2.9.2023

This biography was the 94th biography I created on the DPP, originally published 2.9.2023. I heavily reflect on the DPP within my Diary of a Disabled PhD Student forming my university research

May 22, 2024

Photo Credited to (with excellent 3-minute documentary where Candida is interviewed): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-28853793

Hello, and welcome to the Disabled Peoples Project, which showcases biographies of people with disabilities doing great things in life. Each episode or number is a different biography lasting less than 3 minutes. See my project on other platforms on www.linktr.ee/disabledpeople or my wider research project on www.linktr.ee/disabledphdstudent

Today's Biography is Candida Doyle

Candida Doyle is a musician and songwriter. Candida played the keyboard and occasional vocal in the music band Pulp. Candida joined the band in its infancy in 1984, stayed during its popular eye in the '90s with the famous 1995 song 'Common People' song, and occasionally joined and plays for Pulp reunions. She is the only woman in the band.

Candida has shown natural musical talent since childhood. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 16 and told she would be in a wheelchair by the age of 20. In an interview, Candida said that diagnosis spurred her on to join a rock bank and be in Pulp. Candida said there was a stigma with disability back then and wanted to defy that perception.

Candida was interviewed for a BBC documentary where the link can be found in my written biography version on Facebook. During the interview, she said Pulp broke up around the same time her arthritis symptoms became visible when aged 40.

We see through Candida's examples of being defiant to what was expected proved very successful for her music career but also inspired others with arthritis to do something that isn't expected of that disability. Even through these difficulties, the disability can present, showing the power of lived experience triumphing over such odds against them.

The written version of this biography can be found on my Facebook profile on the platform in the comment section with links to photo credits and more information about issues discussed in this biography.

Photo Credited to (with excellent 3-minute documentary where Candida is interviewed): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine-28853793

An article documenting issues presented by Candida: https://metro.co.uk/.../pulp-keyboardist-candida-doyle.../

More information about arthritis: https://www.arthritisaction.org.uk/...

Common People song by Pulp: