EMELI SANDÉ
Tina Turner, London Pride and party boys!
The out Brit singer/ songwriter returns with a new album influenced by Tina Turner, London Pride and party boys! Marc Andrews reports.
DNA: Last time we spoke it was for 2022’s Let’s Say For Instance album and there were lots of new beginnings and love. Your new album, How Were We To Know, sounds like a breakup record though.
Emeli Sandé: It chronicles the past ten years.
There have definitely been ups and downs but nothing recent, thankfully. Some of the songs have stood the test of time and I still love them. It felt like the right moment to put them out there. How did Tina Turner influence this record?
I went to see the Tina musical before she passed away. I felt inspired by her story. I’d grown up with her music. My mum and my auntie are both big fans of hers. Seeing her life on stage opened my eyes to what she went through behind the scenes in the music industry and made me respect her strength even more. There are gospel tinges on this record.
Every one of my records has a gospel choir. I find it brings so much soul and power to the music. My manager is like, “Maybe we should do an album without a gospel choir because you’ve done so many of them,” but it’s something I can’t resist. It was one of the earliest forms of music I grew up listening to.
Your song, True Colours is not a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s gay anthem but has a similar theme about being your authentic self.
Yeah. Allow yourself to be the rough-and-ready version of yourself – don’t try and be too perfect. We lose a lot of what makes us all human when we try and edit ourselves. It’s about underlining how our imperfections can make us truly beautiful.
Many DNA readers will identify with My Boy
Likes To Party – the sexy bad boy who makes things go bad in the end! [Laughs] Yeah. We all know one… or have one in us. It’s one of my favourite songs. I’d love to explore different themes of that in the video and highlight an element of that song that people might not have expected.
Bonus track, ’Cos Of You, with its lovely
“I believe in angel dust” sentiment, sounds quite different to the rest of the record.
’Cos Of You sums up that feeling when you first fall in love and your whole world perspective changes. It ends the album with something euphoric.
Speaking of euphoric, you performed at London Pride last year!
Yeah, that was amazing and a beautiful energy. You never know how people are going to react but I felt the love and acceptance from the crowd.
It was the first time I’d been on stage since speaking publicly about my relationship so it felt like true freedom. Yes, euphoric. I also performed impromptu at Black Pride that same year in London. You presented Dame Shirley Bassey with a Pride Of Britain award!
That was the first time I’d met her and she was fabulous and everything I hoped for – a true diva but down-to-earth, funny, kind and warm. Any plans to visit Australia?
I was there about eight years ago and would love to come back and headline a show. Mardi Gras? I’d love to. What message do you have for your LGBTQIA+ fanbase?
I’d like to thank them for their support. I feel there are a few messages on this record that speak directly to them and will give them strength. I’d also love to know what they think of it.
MORE: How Were We To Know is released through Chrysalis Records. For more visit emelisande.com
Performing at London Pride felt like true freedom… euphoric.