The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Honours for singer Emeli and Big Yin Full story, 18, 19, 20 and 21
Honours: Singer-songwriter made an MBE by the Queen at age of 30
She’s already the northeast’s queen of pop and Emeli Sande now has a genuine royal seal of approval.
The award-winning singer-songwriter from Alford has been recognised with an MBE in Her Majesty’s birthday honours list.
Ms Sande is only 30, but has taken the music world by storm in recent years, racking up three UK number one singles and Ivor Novello awards.
She has won four Brit Awards – scooping the coveted British Female Solo Artist prize for the second time this year. Her acclaimed album, Our Version of Events, was one of the top-selling UK releases of 2012 – the year she wowed London Olympic crowds with performances at the opening and closing ceremonies.
She moved to London in 2009 and has said that while Scotland is a “lovely” country, it “doesn’t have that cultural diversity I have always longed for”.
But while she enjoys global fame, the talented artist is no stranger to the north-east, where her parents Joel and Diane still live.
Her striking image is emblazoned across a protective wrap on the front of Aberdeen’s Music Hall to celebrate her role as ambassador for the venue’s multimillionpound refurbishment.
Recently, she joined fellow north-east singing sensation Annie Lennox on a march for women’s rights – and is happy to speak her mind on political issues.
In March she expressed sympathy with the campaign for a fresh independence referendum, saying wider British politics had left Scottish people feeling “insecure”.
The performer has also carried out charitable work to help those suffering from cancer and HIV/Aids, and been part of the 2014 Do They Know It's Christmas recording to raise funds for the Ebola crisis in west Africa.