Emeli Sandé

Emeli Sandé, born Adele Emily Sandé (SAN day) is a Scottish songwriter and singer who first came to prominence in 2009 after being featured on rapper Chipmunk‘s first UK Top 10 Singles song, “Diamond Rings.” That was followed by another Top 10 appearance on “Never Be Your Woman,” by rapper Wiley. Her first single, “Heaven,” was released in 2011. The next year, she earned the Brit Awards’ Critics’ Choice Award, after the release of her album, Our Version of Events. The album spent 20 weeks at number 1 in the UK, and sold over a million copies, the biggest seller in the UK that year. Emeli boasts two Number-One singles, performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies in the London Olympics, and has scored two more Brit Awards.

Emeli is the product of a Zambian father who emigrated to the UK, and an English mother, the two having met while at the Sunderland polytechnic. Emeli wrote her first song at 11, later saying, “That was the first time I thought I might be a songwriter. I always knew I wanted to be a musician and I knew I wanted to write because the people I was listening to all wrote. I never thought it was an option to sing anyone else’s songs.” She’s not just a pretty voice, having earned a degree in neuroscience from the University of Glasgow.

Aquellos con los corazones mismo descubren las mismas cosas.

Emeli cites a number of influences, both musically and spiritually, but an important figure is Frida Kahlo, enough so that Emeli has a tattoo of the artist on her forearm as an homage to Kahlo’s strength and bravery.G

There are more good things coming from Emeli Sandé, not least of all her latest release, Long Live the Angels (2016) and a collection of “Highs & Lows” Remixes, released this year. Check out the sampling of her work below and judge for yourself. Emeli’s works can be found on Spotify and other streaming and downloading services.

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P.S. If you want a more intense version of “It Hurts,” check out my fave below. Loves.