Emeli Sandé Interview

Having already penned songs for Cheryl Cole, Tinie Tempah, Professor Green, Leona Lewis and Susan Boyle, Emeli Sandé has already made her name for herself as a remarkable songwriter. Now she is making a name for herself as an exciting artist with her debut album Our Version of Events going to straight to number 1 on itunes, UK tour planned in April and the receiving the Brits Critics Choice Award. When we get to speak to her she is effortlessly friendly as she talks about her song writing process and performing with X-Factor.

Has everything that has happened to you in the last six months sunk in?

Not really, it’s all been happening so fast, it’s hard to really take it in. Last night I got to go home to my family home up in Aberdeenshire, moments like that I can really stop and take things in.

How did you feel the first time you saw an advert for your album?

It was quite bizarre. We were driving through London and there was one of these massive ones at Shepherds Bush. It’s crazy, I don’t know how to feel about it all, it’s almost like it wasn’t me.

You were met with some resistance from your record label when you wanted to become a recording artist, how did you deal with that?

It was difficult but I was really lucky that I was surrounded by people that really believed in what I was doing, they never really let me get disheartened by anything. Also just really believing in the music I was doing and believing in myself. It was tough at points but mainly it was the team around me.

How do you decide which songs to keep for yourself and which to give away?

Usually I just write songs for the sake of writing, not really with anybody in mind. Once I finish them, it’s an instinctive feeling. If I really feel the song is for me, if it’s a story that’s really personal or I feel like I am the only one that can really deliver it then I will keep it for me. Other songs I hear the vibe of them and I think ‘oh this could be a really good song for Leona or whoever.’ It’s just by the sound of it really.

Is there anybody that you would like to write for in the future?

Yeah there are so many people. I would love to write for someone legendary like Stevie Wonder or Annie Lennox.

Do you have a particular process when you are song writing?

There are not any set rules, but I know the best kind of environment is at night for me. I can never write a good song if I’m around people that I don’t trust or don’t really click with. It has to be people that I really trust and I can share ideas with, that can really inspire me with conversation. The right company and the right time of day really.

Have you ever suffered from writers block?

Yeah sometimes when I have been writing too much I kind of find myself thinking I have nothing to write about anymore but it usually goes within a month. I think the best thing is to stop writing at that point and live and do stuff outside of the music industry. When I was studying medicine I had writers block the whole time.

Which was harder studying medicine or being in the music industry?

It’s a difficult question because when I was studying medicine I thought there was nothing harder, I always felt the music industry would be a lot easier. They are different pressures; with medicine you are studying all the time. With music it’s a whole different set of skills you have to work with. I don’t know what’s more difficult. Probably this because with medicine if you study then it will work out, with music you never know, you can work as hard as you want and it might never work out.

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

I would advise them not to put too much emphasise on a deal, put more emphasise on discovering who you are as an artist before you try and get involved in the industry. Then you can approach it very firm and with a really clear idea of what you want to do.

How was performing on X-Factor last year with Professor Green?

It was quite bizarre; I tried not to think about how many people were watching because I think I would have messed up if I were doing that. It was an interesting experience. The whole TV world is so different to performing live in any other setting.

Would have gone on a show like X-Factor if you hadn’t of come through the route you have?

No, that was never really an option for me. People were always telling me I should go on it but it just never entered my mind to do it because I really wanted to be a songwriter first and foremost and I don’t think there is a really good avenue there for songwriters on that show. If it didn’t work out the way I wanted it I think I would have just stuck with medicine.

What did you learn from supporting Coldplay on their tour?

I guess I learned how much they appreciated everyone in their team; it was really unexpected for me. I thought a band that big would really just be focused on the show but they really took the care and time to make sure that everything was running well behind scenes and that we were happy with how the shows were going. I learnt that attention to all of the details of the show is really important, probably the key to their success, well, as well as great music.

As a female artist so you feel under any pressure to look a certain way or to dress in a certain manner?

I guess I feel under a little bit more pressure because before I would just kind of stroll out the studio at 3am and not really care how my hair was. I would never want it to become a priority of mine or something I was too concerned with though.

Published in Yorkshire Evening Post