Adele and Alicia Keys are just two famous fans of Emeli Sandé’s soul-pop blend — now her new album, Next To Me, is generating international buzz. Seventeen chats with Emeli about her music, going to medical school (yes, seriously!), and touring with Coldplay.

Seventeen: Congratulations on your new album, Our Version of Events. Is there a song you think people will relate to the most?

Emeli Sandé: There’s a song called “Hope” which I recorded with Alicia Keys. I hope it inspires girls to make changes in the world around them.

17: Has Alicia Keys been one of your mentors?

ES: Yeah, definitely! I met Alicia at the Hall of London at the beginning of last year. Since then, we’ve had a few writing sessions together in New York. We’ve had an incredible time and I’ve learned so much from working with her.

17: Who are some of the other people you have worked with?

ES: I’ve written for Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle. I went on a tour with Coldplay at the end of last year, which was incredible because I’m a big fan of the band and think Chris Martin is just fantastic. It’s been amazing having support from people who have inspired me for such a long time.

17: When did you start playing piano?

ES: I started when I was about 10. I played the clarinet first, but then I asked my parents if I could play an instrument where I could sing at the same time. I started playing classical piano, and then jazz. I just loved it. The piano is my favorite instrument.

17: You have a very interesting cultural background. Your dad is from Zambia in South Africa, your mom is British, and you grew up in Scotland. Has that influenced your music?

ES: Absolutely. It really made me realize that you should never put barriers on people based on where they’re from or on the color of their skin. I grew up with a very international mindset.

17: What type of music did your parents play when you were growing up?

ES: My dad is the one who introduced me to the best singers, like Mariah Carey and Anita Baker. He introduced me to Nina Sonoma when I was nine or 10. She just blew my mind. I thought she was incredible and she was the first person who made me want to be an artist and want to play an instrument.

17: I heard a rumor that you actually studied medicine in college. Is that true?

ES: Yes, it is true! I studied medicine for four and a half years and then spent a year specializing in neuroscience. My dad is a big advocate of education and told me that he would support me getting involved with music, but I had to have a plan B. I also always loved school and thought that if I didn’t become a singer, being a doctor felt like a pretty good job. But, then, a song I wrote went to the top 10 in the UK, so I came to a big crossroads in my life and had to choose one.

17: How did you decide to give music your all?

ES: I got to a point where I was trying to balance both things at the same time and I really missed being creative. I was giving 50 percent to medicine and 50 percent to music and I wasn’t being the best I could be in either of them.

17: Do you have a favorite song on the album?

ES: It changes week to week, but at the moment I really like “Climb” because it reminds me of my whole journey and how if you really want something, you have to put yourself out there.

17: How would you like people to listen to your music?

ES: I’d listen to it at night when there are no distractions. That way, you can just sit down and take it all in.

Emeli Sandé’s album Our Version of Events is available on iTunes now.

 Visit the gallery to view the images in full.

    When our June You Oughta Know artist Emeli Sandé isn’t making people cry from the beauty of her voice and lyrics, her cool, mellow demeanor makes you feel at ease. On the day she stopped by VH1 Headquarters she was spunky and full of energy. Her smile was radiant, her laughter infectious. There was no inner diva with this British soul singer whose debut album topped the UK charts at #1. Our photographer Michele Crowe captured a range of Emeli, from the songstress cackling with laughter before a pose for her live set to prepping for a show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg earlier this month. Speaking of live sets, the strength of her vocals are exemplified in her performance of “Heaven.” The clarity and sound of her voice, yes, heavenly indeed.

 

 

Get More: Emeli Sandé, Heaven (You Ought Know Live), Emeli Sandé Music Videos, Live Performances

 

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Emeli Sande’s latest single ‘My Kind of Love’ is being sent to Australian radio this week. EMI has confirmed the track is being sent according to AusPop. The track shipment follows a performance of  Ben Hazlewood, a contestant from ‘The Voice Australia’. So request ‘My Kind of Love’ at your local radio station sometime this week! until then you can watch Emeli’s stunning music video below.

 

Emeli Sande performed at The Lovebox Festival. From what we know Emeli sang ‘Heaven’ and only that, their were probably more performances but we can only find a video for ‘Heaven’ but if you have more video just post the links in the chatbox and I will be sure to post them for you. Anyway, Emeli gave a very energetic performance with a very amped crowd. Check out the video below!

 

Scottish singer Emeli Sande is one of the few people who have heard songs comprising Alicia Keys’ forthcoming fifth album. Keys, who collaborated with the 25-year-old on “Hope,” a track featured on her debut LP, Our Version of Events, chose to work with Sande on the highly-anticipated opus after meeting her in London during her Piano & I tour last year.

“We’ve been working together on her next album… [Alicia Keys is] fantastic,” Sande tells The BoomBox. “I love writing and I love working with her. It was awesome.”

Keys has released scarce details surrounding her “musical cake” of a new album, which is currently untitled. “Not Even a King,” a song the 31-year-old New York native debuted earlier this year, could possibly show up on the effort.

Sande has been privy to listening to the final product and has even shared her own songwriting talents with Alicia Keys to craft songs for her fifth soundscape.

“It sounds amazing,” Sande says of Keys’ upcoming LP. “I think everyone’s going to really, really enjoy it. It was just such a natural process for us to work and nothing felt forced. I think the songs are testament to that, in that the songs really sound… I don’t know how to put it. You’ll just have to see. I mean it sounds great.”

In 2011, Alica Keys re-released her seminal album, Songs in A Minor. Her fifth LP will serve as a follow-up to 2009′s The Element of Freedom.

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Emeli Sande made a name for herself long before her album, “Our Version of Events,” was released in the U.S. last week. The Brit Award-winning powerhouse vocalist has already enjoyed critical and popular success in England since her album dropped there in February.

The American release, though long overdue, features a new song not found on the original release, “Wonder,” which has an eclectic, almost tribal arrangement and demonstrates the full power of her voice.

“Our Version of Events” is pretty standard for a pop album. It has power ballads, most notably “Mountains,” which has a haunting effect by combining her voice flawlessly with a somber string arrangement. The album also features more upbeat songs. “Daddy” is a fantastic throwback to R&B all-girl groups of the ’90s (think TLC meets Destiny’s Child) with a more modern twist.

What sets her album apart is her overall consistency. Her album is not just a collection of potential singles with filler songs. It is cohesive and consistently good from track to track, which is why she’s been making strides in the music business in Britain.

Until now she’s been a well-kept secret among American British music lovers and music critics. She’s doing what every British powerhouse before her has done — testing the waters in America and trying to achieve international success.

This has been done with varying success. Kate Bush and Kylie Minogue were unable to do it, while Adele and Amy Winehouse seemed to achieve success effortlessly. Sande finds herself in an opportune situation.

Her album, which she co-wrote and produced, showcases classiness comparable with Beyonce with an undercurrent of attitude similar to Rihanna.

When you pair that with her flawless voice and dynamic lyrics, she’s virtually unstoppable. It could be argued that she’s too similar to already established artists and there is not any room for her to achieve success here. Adele was able to take American Top 40 radio by storm because she had something other American artists lacked.

Sande might not be bringing anything groundbreaking to the music scene. But her debut album is a solid effort that demands your attention from the first track to the final note.

Maybe there isn’t a place in American music for Sande, but with her first album, she makes a place for herself.

— Conner Rohwer

 

The singer tells us about her rise to success and how it felt to be part of the Olympic torch celebrations, plus performs her new single My Kind Of Love. Click here to see the performance + interview! You can only view the video if you are in the UK.

Last night Emeli Sande performed at Edinburgh’s Olympic Torch Relay. Emeli performed hits such as ‘Heaven’, ‘Next To Me’ and more. We only have the ‘Heaven’ and ‘Next To Me’ videos for now but when more are uploaded we will post them!

Heaven

 

 
Next To Me
 

Brits Critic’s Choice winner Emeli Sande is to be recognised for “innovation in music” at this year’s Silver Clef awards luncheon.

The Scottish singer-songwriter said she was “thrilled” and was “looking forward” to the event.

The annual Silver Clef awards raise funds for the charity Nordoff-Robbins, which provides music therapy for adults and children.

Sande will be presented with her award at the London Hilton on 29 June.

The 25-year-old began writing songs when she was just eight. She has collaborated with UK artists including Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder and Cheryl Cole.

Sande’s debut album, Our Version of Events, recently topped the UK album chart.

She is also an ambassador for Nordoff Robbins Scotland and is planning to donate proceeds from her Glasgow Clyde Auditorium show on 6 November to the charity.

Also receiving the Silver Clef Best Newcomer award at the June event will be teenage newcomer Conor Maynard.

The 19-year old singer from Brighton found fame after uploading music onto YouTube.

In December he was selected as MTV’s Brand New for 2012 artist and has been described as the UK’s answer to Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber.

Commenting on the prize, Maynard said: “The Awards have celebrated some of the most iconic artists in the last forty years, and it is incredible to be anywhere near that list.”

“I’m really looking forward to it and can’t thank Nordoff Robbins enough,” he added.

Sande and Maynard will join Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jessie J, Michael Buble and Laura Wright who have already been announced as this year’s other Silver Clef award recipients.

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Singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé wears Chloé and talks to THE OUTNET about power dressing, her love of Marni, Frida Kahlo and her top 5 female icons.