Music has been a 'space to put a lot of emotions': Meridian Meets Emeli Sandé
Natalie Boare meets Emeli Sandé.
Emeli Sandé says music has been incredibly important to her recently as a "space to put a lot of the emotions, the anxiety, the worry..." and that singing and creating songs has "been a therapy and also a connection to other people."
The singer/ songwriter has been working on new music for the last 2 years. She's been in Sussex at The Old Market in Hove performing tracks from her new album for fans.
Emeli wrote her first song at the age of 11 and was offered a record deal at the age of 16 but she turned it down.
Emeli instead went on to study medicine at the University of Glasgow.
Emeli says she still gets excited when she unexpectedly hears one of her tracks on the radio.
Emeli has written songs for artists like Rihanna, Alicia Keys and Leona Lewis.
She was thrown into the spotlight in 2012 when her debut album 'Our Version of Events' spent 10 weeks at number one, she broke a chart record set by The Beatles.
Emeli told our reporter Natalie Boare she sometimes still gets nervous.
Over the years Emeli has had some amazing moments. Highlights include performing at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics.
Emeli also sung in front of President Obama at the White House. She told ITV News Meridian she is grateful for those incredible moments and that performing at the Olympics was "career defining."
She won Best Female Solo Artist at The Brit Awards in 2013 and 2017.
And Emeli is a big campaigner for gender equality.
Emeli says with this new album she tried to push herself out of her comfort zone and she wanted to lift people, she says she thought when making it, "How do I create a breath of fresh air for people if they're going through something or if life is getting a bit too heavy?"Emeli has a tour later in the year and her latest single "Brighter Days" released on the 19th of January.
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