Emeli Sandé at NYC’s The Box, Photo: @TheNextToShine
What are the challenges in transitioning your music to America?
America is really vast, so I’m trusting the people around me. I know how everything works in the UK but in the States, I haven’t grown up with these television shows. Recently I performed on “Conan” and it was cool. I’d love to take my music as far and as wide as possible, I’ve been inspired by so many American artists. I’m excited, everyone seems to connect with my songs, that’s my main desire. The crowds are so much more energetic in the States.
Any Americans with whom you’d like to collaborate?
I love collaborating, but because I’ve been touring so much — I’ve done European and UK tours — I haven’t had much time to write. I was lucky to write with Alicia Keys while I was in America and Labrinth in the UK. Now I’m really thinking about my second album and who I’d like to work with. I was writing on the beach today, I’ve got this little program on my laptop and I’m just writing whenever I can.
Favorite places to travel?
I love Serbia, Belgrade is one of my favorite cities. My boyfriend is from Montenegro and we hop over from there. I also love Glasgow, London, New York, Dublin — just big, hard fast cities.
We like tattoos, tell us about yours.
This one [across my left shoulder says] ‘I love Adam’ in Serbian, that’s my boyfriend’s name. This is Frida Khalo, [the Mexican painter] on my right forearm, this ‘First, Lucy’ is my sister’s name because she comes first. Then I got another one which says ‘A Room Of One’s Own’ in Madrid because I love Virginia Woolf and her essay A Room of One’s Own.
Five favorite songs?
Frank Ocean’s “Thinking About You”
Alicia Keys and I’s “Not Even The King”
Conner Maynard’s “Can’t Say No”
Florence + The Machine “Shake It Off”
If you want to catch Emeli Sandé on tour, and I suggest you do, find her international tour dates here. Plus, here’s ‘Heaven’ below:
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