Emeli Sandé spent years penning songs for the likes of Alesha Dixon, Professor Green and Alicia Keys, before topping the charts with her own debut album and bagging a Brit. SIMON PARKIN founds out more.

With the Brits Critics Choice award tucked under her arm and a number debut album, 2012 is shaping up to be Emeli Sandé’s year.

It’s been quite a journey for the 24 year-old Scot, who started out writing songs for the likes of Alesha Dixon, Professor Green, Cheryl Cole and Tinie Tempah, and collaborating with Chipmunk and Wiley, before enjoying a worldwide hit herself last year with the epic Heaven.

Smart, sussed, talented, utterly transfixing on stage, the singer-songwriter’s sold-out European tour arrives in Norwich next week, with support from South London singer/songwriter Josh Osho.

2012 has been quite a year for you so?

Tell me about it. Right now I’m in Moscow with The Kooks and Baxter Dury. It’s crazy, the people are quite eccentric — I’m loving it. And every day is like this at the moment. There’s always something really bizarre happening. I definitely couldn’t have imagined being in Russia doing this, a year ago.

Is there one favourite moment that sticks out so far?

There are so many. Opening up for Coldplay in Glasgow in front of 16,000 people was incredible – it was basically a homecoming for me, but I was coming back as A Pop Star. That was genuinely weird. And sitting at a piano with Alicia Keys, writing for her. That was a proper ‘woah, is this really happening?’ moment.

What did you want to try and achieve with your debut album Our Version of Events?

Well I guess I just wanted to try and take it back to how I wrote songs in the beginning. I had quite a classical training as a songwriter: I play piano, so it was important to make sure I got that across. But more than that, I wanted people to see every side of me as an artist, so it was important to have songs there where there could be a real connection with the lyric, rather than there just be throwaway pop.

Heaven was a huge hit for you, an epic pop song with sweeping strings. How did that come about?

It just started as a late night conversation really. Naughty Boy, the producer I work with all the time, had a beat running in the background, I got the first line, and it started from there. I love how songs like that develop: before we knew it we were putting strings on with a synth, Naughty Boy suggested the Funky Drummer loop and it came together really organically.

A lot of people say it reminds them of Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy. Do you take that as a compliment?

Absolutely. I’m a big fan. I don’t think the song is lyrically or melodically that similar, but because the Funky Drummer loop has been used so much and it has strings on people do make the connection. I don’t mind though: the whole Bristol movement was really exciting, so I’m actually glad if people get the same vibe from the song.

For someone who has written both for yourself and other people, what’s the key to writing a good song?

Simplicity. When I think back to stuff I was writing when I was 17, it was too complicated; there were too many words and parts. The key to a classic song is keeping the melody simple and the lyric effective. It’s much, much easier said than done. But if you can get that right, then, well, you’re there.

Looking back to your 17 year-old self penning these complex songs, it must have felt amazing to win the Critics’ Choice award at the Brits.

I was so excited. It meant so much in terms of my confidence because my album wasn’t out yet, and no matter how happy you are with a new record, there will always be doubts lurking somewhere. I’d spent so long behind the scenes writing for other people and featuring on other people’s records so it just felt so good to get the acknowledgement for me as an artist in my own right.

Did it feel a bit like a victory against the odds?

Well, yes. It was a long journey to get signed – once you get established as a songwriter it’s quite hard to get people to recognise you as an artist in your own right. It felt like a long battle to get people to see me and believe in my music. Lots of labels didn’t want to sign me. So it was great to prove people wrong in that sense.

Did you have to change anything to get that record deal?

Well, I think I’m the same person as I was, and they’re definitely the same songs. A lot of people didn’t see the potential in them or perhaps me. I guess I had to become more confident. When you get knocked back so much you kind of learn to believe in yourself, stand up for yourself, because you can bet that nobody else is going to do it.

Does that mean that it feels odd to be still writing for other people?

You’ve been working on stuff for Sugababes, haven’t you? Yes, but to be honest I haven’t met them or anything. They’ve just taken some songs that I’ve written. So it’s not like I’m bashing out stuff in the studio with them.

It’s a strange scenario isn’t it, being a songwriter-for-hire. Would you ever take on someone else’s songs yourself?

Only if it was by someone I really, really respected. Otherwise I’d be like, let’s see what I can do myself.

Who would make you change your mind?

Now you’ve put me on the spot! Who could it be? Maybe Tracey Chapman.

Has the success of Our Version Of Events made you excited about a second album. Surely having a chart-topping album gives you a certain amount of power to go in the direction you want?

I guess so, but to be honest, I haven’t felt trapped or forced into things that I didn’t want to do anyway. The second album I need to approach with the same spirit I think, if I want it to succeed. But that is a long, long way off. I have a lot to do for this record first.

Emeli Sandé plays the UEA on April 4

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Singer-songwriter Emeli Sande may be little-known on this side of the pond, but it won’t be for long if her UK rise is anything to go by. Her first album, Our Version of Events, came out in mid-February, debuting at number one, pushing Lana Del Rey off her mantle, wowing Simon Cowell (who declared her his “favorite songwriter at the minute”) and selling over 113,000 copies.

One week later Sandé won a “Critics’ Choice” Brit Award, initiating her into an elite club which includes former winners Adele and Florence Welch. “It definitely gives you exposure,” the petite 25-year-old with a bushy faux-hawk tells Spinner. “People pay a lot more attention to you when you’re a Brit winner.”

Apparently, people also pay attention if your name is Adele, even if that’s not the name you use.

Born to a Zambian father and English mother in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, it first must be noted that Sandé’s real name is Adele, a name that she had to forfeit once the “other Adele” started making her mark over three years ago.

“I changed it as soon as Adele came out. I just thought, ‘You’ve kind of taken the [name] now,’ so I went with my middle name Emeli.”

Although the two have never met, Adele has been vocal about praising Sandé, saying simply “How great is she?” The two share a maturity that’s beyond their years and an affinity for ballads.

Though she has the same name as Adele, the singer has been drawing comparisons to the late Whitney Houston in terms of style.

“I’m extremely flattered,” she says of the comparison. “[Houston had] such a distinctive voice, I hope I have that as well.”

Early on, Emeli knew that she was going to have a career in music, often performing for family and friends.

“It started really young, [I played] any piano I could experiment on, because we didn’t have one at home. At 11, we finally got one and that’s when I started formal lessons. I just fell in love with it; it’s such a great instrument to write on,” says Sandé, who also plays the cello and clarinet.

Sandé first rose to acclaim back in 2010 singing with UK rapper Chipmunk on his popular single “Diamond Rings” and soon started songwriting for Simon Cowell’s production company Syco.

“I’ve still never met him, I’ve just heard really nice things he’s said about me,” says Sandé, whose songwriting is a huge part of her skillset. She writes for a number of artists like Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole and Alicia Keys, who Sandé opened up for on the 10th anniversary concert of Songs in a Minor.

“I’ve been inspired by Alicia Keys since she first came out. I just thought she was incredible,” says Sandé.

Keys returned the sentiments, saying, “Hearing [Emeli's] voice set against a guitar sets you into the mood.”

Other musical idols of Sandé are Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Tracey Chapman and Lauryn Hill.

“Either big singers or really strong powerful women that really took charge and were brave with their art,” she says.

Sandé, who will be supporting Coldplay as an opening act starting July through to August, is now a gilded artist of “le moment” thanks to hit songs “Heaven,” a moody, atmospheric dance track akin to Massive Attack’s “Unfinished Symphony,” and her feel-good pop hit, “Next to Me.”

But she seems to have her feet planted on terra firma, eschewing distractions like her forthcoming performance at the London Olympics to instead focus on her art.

“There are lots of people who aren’t in it for the music, which is a real shame, but when you get the right team around you, people that are really passionate about music, it’s a great industry to work in,” she says. “I feel very successful at doing something I love and I can make a living out of it. Not many people can do what they love in life.”

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If you thought Myspace was defunct as a social networking site, well, you were right. But Myspace is still trying to re-brand itself as a destination on the web for music and entertainment news. To that end, the website has a new series of interviews with musical artists it calls “One-Two-Watch.” The interviews series promotes artists Myspace has handpicked as ” key artist(s) with unique sound, set to influence new music.”

The episode of “One-Two-Watch” released today features English performer Emeli Sande. The Scottish-born singer is interviewed an showcased in shows from her recent, small American tour including her first American performance in New York. Her recent album, ‘Our Version of Events’, which will be released in the U.S. in June, debuted at the top of the U.K. Albums Chart. Emeli will be opening for Coldplay during their U.S. tour this summer.

“Myspace was always the place where music fans could hear what was new. I’m excited to see the brand refocus on this with the ‘One-Two-Watch’ series,” said Scott Vener, lead “curator” for Myspace. “By identifying and curating what’s next, the series simplifies the discovery process for people, helping reactivate passive listeners around their passion for music.”

Here’s the Emeli “One-Two-Watch,” and you can decide for yourself whether Myspace has successfully “curated” new music for you:

Hey everyone, here is the audio of Labrinth and Emeli’s duet ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’ we heard about the song a while ago but now we can actually heat iy, it’s beautiful! it’s on Labrinth new album ‘Electronic Earth’ in stores and on iTunes now!

But 24-year-old Scot Emeli is a renaissance woman, who relished the opportunity to learn about the human brain.

“I’m so happy I took time to study,” explains the singer, who made her big breakthrough while featuring on Professor Green’s No 1 single Read All About It late last year.

“I feel a lot more in control now that I have a degree. It meant that music wasn’t the be-all and end-all, so that takes some pressure off.”

Perhaps if she’d studied music it might have taken away some of the magic of the art to dissect it?

“Yeah, I’ve always thought that. I’ve always kept music and school very separate because I knew that music was something very natural to me and I didn’t want it to become a science, or for it to become – like you said – dissected.

“I had a lot of friends who studied music and by the end if it, they’d lost that magic and the spark for it, so I definitely wanted to protect that. Because it came so naturally to me and I’ve always been able to educate myself with it, I just wanted to save school for something that I really couldn’t learn by myself, so that’s why I wanted to learn medicine, because I think it would have been impossible to do that alone.”

Emeli never worked as a professional neurologist, instead studying for three years at medical school, then a year specialising in neuroscience, before coming down south after graduating.

She won a competition run by BBC radio DJ Trevor Nelson, but turned down the contest’s prize of a recording contract, preferring to do things herself.

Record labels quickly started competing for Emeli’s songs. Simon Cowell says she is his favourite songwriter, penning hits for some of the biggest-selling artists in the UK.

“I don’t ‘sell’ songs, as such,” she adds. “I give them to people. I love the reinterpretation, and the fact someone can change a lyric to mean something I’d never thought about or intended.

“Some people think it might be odd writing for other people, but I haven’t felt like that. There’s no-one who’s sung a song of mine that I haven’t respected, and no one who made me think they didn’t understand what the song was about.”

She’s written with her childhood heroine, Alicia Keys.

“I try and think of how if I went back and told 14-year old me what’s going on now, I don’t think she’d quite believe it,” laughs Emeli. “It’s really incredible, and very surreal when people that you’ve looked up to for so long appreciate you as an artist, and respect you as well, it’s an incredible feeling. We wrote some great songs; we wrote some songs for her new album, so I’m really looking forward to people hearing them all.”

In terms of genre, Emeli’s timing couldn’t be better – there’s a huge market for soul at the moment.

“I think it’s been coming back for ages now,” she says. “People love soul music, and the stories and the simplicity of it all. Definitely in Britain it seems like there’s been a major comeback. I love it, I mean, I grew up listening to lots of soul and I just love it. I don’t think there’s any type of music that compares to it really.”

Emeli has been writing songs since she was seven, and her school friends stole her song for the school talent contest.

“I was in the audience and thought, ‘I recognise that!,” she laughs.

“They had a dance routine and everything. It was flattering I suppose, and we’re all still friends now, so I like to tease them about that.

“When you’re a kid you’re listening to so many things and you’re picking up things on the radio when you’re young, so I’ve had a lot of different influences. Maybe my mum and dad were playing that kind of thing when I was young, but I think I missed that scene the first time it came out. I really kind of got into it more when I was working at Virgin Megastore in Aberdeen, when I was like 16 or 17 and that’s when I really started looking into different genres.”

Emeli’s album, Our Version Of Events, was released last month.

“I definitely knew I’d release an album,” she says. “But I didn’t think there’d be this much anticipation, or acknowledgement of what I was doing. That said, I’m happy people are talking about the album so much. I love getting the attention, because I have experienced the other side of that, when no one cares.”

Her tour calls in at the O2 Academy Liverpool next month.

“I really wanted the live show to reflect the record, so we kind of mixed it up a bit,” she enthuses. “It’s quite a dynamic show, full of energy, but then we have the real quiet moments where it’s a bit more intimate. I’m just really looking forward to getting on the road now the album’s out.”

She’s already won the BRIT award for Critic’s Choice, the gong that heralded Adele’s success.

“It’s great to get that kind of acknowledgement and it’s encouraging to see that the industry really believes in what you’re doing and appreciates your music, but people change their minds all the time, so you can’t get too caught up in it, or take it too seriously,” Emeli shrugs. “I’m so happy I have a BRIT, you know, I’m over the moon, but you have to keep making music and keep your focus on being creative more than anything. It would drive you crazy, I think, if you started to get too concerned with awards and that type of thing.”

EMELI SANDE plays the O2 Academy Liverpool on April 9

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What makes Emeli Sandé — born Adele Emeli Sandé — so captivating is her passion. It resonates loudly through her vocal prowess, which pilots her debut album, “Our Version of Events,” and acts as the anchor of the intimate stories the 25 yr. old tells in each one of her songs. That passion won over some of the music industry’s most wanted at both of Sandé’s intimate showcases at NYC venue The Box on Monday, February 27.  If one was skeptical before walking in, they surely didn’t leave that way.

The drive of the Zambian/Scottish singer/songwriter also fueled her transition from medicine to artistry. “It was when I saw how passionate people were about medicine. People would say, ‘I dreamt about being a doctor since I was four. That made me think, ‘I love medicine, this is very interesting, but what is the one thing I wanted to do since I was four? What’s the one thing I can really put my heart into?’” Sande told The Juice. “And at that point, I was like, ‘Well I think I should really pursue my real passion which is music.’”

While finishing her specialty in neuroscience at the University of Glasgow, Emeli delved into songwriting and singing. “When you’re songwriting, you get to see everything from the background. You get to see pressures artists are under, what traps not to fall into, and how not to do it and how to do it,” Sandé said.

Although faced with a few obstacles, Sande pushed through to realize her childhood dream. “It was a long kind of journey to get signed. As soon as you get reputation as a songwriter everyone sees you as that… You really have to believe in what you have to say and why you want to be an artist. People didn’t know what to do with me. It was just me and the piano. It was very stripped. It was very different than everything that was out.”

Sandé has since written for the likes of Tinie Tempah, Chipmunk and Leona Lewis and recently worked with Alicia Keys for her upcoming album and rising UK artist, Labrinth. Check out part one of our two part interview with Emeli Sandé in which she talks  her career start, songwriting and why she chose to not go by Adele.

Source: Billboard

Emeli Sande will be performing in Amsterdam, Netherlands on March 31st, all info here:

EMELI SANDE Amsterdam, Netherlands March 31, 2012

Date/Time
Date(s) – 31/03/2012
All Day

Location
Paradiso Grote Zaal
Amsterdam
Netherlands

Emeli Sande 2012 Tour starts March 2nd. After 7 gigs in North America and Continental Europe the Tour continues strong in UK.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tickets

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Today Emeli has been tweeting a lot about being in Berlin. She has even tweeted some photos of her and her interview with Jam FM Berlin. We don’t have audio yet but we will be looking and will post it. View all of Emeli’s Twitter pictures below. Emeli’s next stop is Cologne!

Hey everyone, so as you know some things have went silent recently it’s probably because Emeli’s team are preparing for the release of ‘My kind of Love’ and it’s video. So big things coming soon! Here are some new photos I uncovered of Emeli for her YOU Magazine photoshoot, enjoy and thank you to Lastfm.com for the images!