Emeli Sande Usher Hall Edinburgh

What a buzz from Emeli Sande’s Usher hall gig and it was wonderful to see and hear her on the Big Stage!

This was my 9th

Emeli Sande gig! (2007 – 2017)

I saw her perform in Glasgow Oran Mor (2007, 2011, 2016), King Tuts (2011), Old Fruitmarket (2012), Clyde Auditorium (2012), Olympic Torch Relay Glasgow July (2012), Royal Albert hall (Nov 2012)

My daughter was at Medical school in Glasgow with Emeli and she suggested that I should come hear her sing at the Oran Mor in December 2007. A year previously I had started seriously shooting music and events – Mugdock music festival, sports events, theatre, Edinburgh festival. 

I took photos at the concert that were used for Emeli’s promotional flyers and in print press after contacts from her manager over the next 4 years (2007 – 2011). Then in 2011 she debuted the songs for her upcoming number one selling album 'Our Version of Events'. In 2012 Emeli performed at the Opening ceremony Olympic Games London.  

My highlight was definitely shooting at her Royal Albert hall gig November 2012! What a thrill. You enter the hall via spiralling steps that take you right in front of the stage with the audience behind. There was a black and white photo of Frank Sinatra with the audience behind him on the wall. Inspired.

The Concert

Emeli performed songs from her new album, Long Live the Angels, along with her hit songs of 2012. She sang a breath taking, expressive Breathing Underwater, a soul-filled Give me Something to Believe In. After which she took the energy up with her rocking soul songs Babe (one of her favourites), hit single Hurts and the popular Wonder.

Her well-rehearsed band and backing singers did quality justice to the songs, while behind her she had an ever-changing back drop of clouds, candles, raindrops, cosmos and more.

Emeli covered all the bases from her Highs and Lows of bright yellow energies to poignant blues - with the intimate emotions of Clown at piano and Your Beautiful with only guitar backing.

The concert climaxed with her hit favourite songs Next To Me and Read all About It. She built us up with her songs of the wonder in us and helped us too to climb mountains. She exclaimed too, how much she appreciated fans being there.

Sande has a powerhouse soul voice with an engaging presence and hope-filled songs. She is also a sincere, open hearted and generous lady! In turbulent days she sings of the good in us. ‘Long Live the Angels certainly!

(PS There was problems with ticket touts at the concert hall door, with reportedly as many as 200 fans turning up with fake tickets and being badly disappointed. This problem needs to be seriously looked into! Tip – buy tickets early from the venue.)

SONGS: Selah, Breathing Underwater, Tenderly, Free, Give me Something,  Garden, Kung Fu,

Every Single Little Piece, Heaven, Hurts, Sweet Architect, Hurts, Happen, Beneath Your Beautiful, Clown, Shakes, Babe, Highs & Lows, little Bit Longer, Next To Me, Read All About It.

Emeli Sande returns September 2016!

 Emeli returns with her second album Long Live the Angels.  Her 2012 album Our Version of Events brought her great success as the top selling UK artist 2012. She went on to perform at both the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the London Olympics. She won two Brit Awards 2013, British Female Artist and Album of the Year.

Emeli Sande Royal Albert hall

 In December 2007 I went to see Emeli Sande play her debut gig at the Oran Mor for the launch of her first ep. Back then she had big dark hair and was known as Adele. She had a top band backing her and we thought she had an impressive voice. Little did we know she would go on to have such huge success. I took photos at this gig and her manager was in touch a few months later to ask for the use of images for her promotions. I met Emeli at her King Tuts gig in 2010 and took photos back stage there. Emeli was friendly and chatted about her music and her time at university. She was studying medicine at Glasgow university and she was travelling to London on her weekends to work on songwriting.

Adele Emeli Oran Mor 20017

 In 2012 she did gigs at the Old Fruitmarket and also Oran Mor in Glasgow.

I am sure it must mean a great deal to her to be back at the Oran Mor this Sunday for the first gig to promote her second album Long Live the Angels. I am excited to hear her new songs. My biggest thrill in 2012 was to take photos at her Albert hall gig London! I can only imagine how excited she was to sing there. It was one of those sunny clear November days. I waited in the back stage room – I saw the photo of Frank Sinatra on the wall taken back stage, met Professor Green as he entered, and then we ascended the narrow stairs that took us straight to the front of the stage and the lights and sounds of the iconic venue were set behind us…..

My EMELI SANDE GALLERIES - http://pkimage.co.uk/EMELISANDE

 Adele Emily Sandé, better known as Emeli Sandé, is a British recording artist and songwriter. She first became known with the top 10 single the track Diamond Rings with the rapper Chipmunk (2009). In 2010, she featured on the top ten Never Be Your Woman by the rapper Wiley. Sande had two number-one singles UK with Read All about It with Professor Green and Beneath Your Beautiful, a collaboration with Labrinth. Her album Our Version of Events spent ten weeks at number one and became the best-selling album of 2012 in the UK, with over 1 million sales.

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2007

I first took images of Emeli (then Adele) at her EP launch gig at Glasgow's Oran Mor venue. Emily was in the same medical course as my daughter then and she usually won the talent show at her uni course each year. 

She had an accomplished energetic rock soul band with her and performed a few upbeat songs. Then she took to the piano on the left of the stage and sang some Nina Simone songs. She had big hair back then!  She showed even then her unique passion in her voice. She had three backing singers too which surely showed how seriously she was being taken in 2007 by the industry.

I started this blog in 2007 while I wasn’t taking the blog as seriously then. Little did I know!. and if I might have imagined big things lay ahead. We all thought her voice was strong but it is impossible to be sure about anything in this fickle music business. What I hadn’t figured on was her drive and commitment which are certainly key ingredients.

I posted the photos from the gig and her PR contacted me about photos for her Aberdeen gig flyers and posters. I met her PR guy at a few events he had me along to shoot at.

Her manager phoned me about photos from London, which was really very exciting.  I started to pursue my music photography seriously in 2007 after I got some fun shots at a few gigs in 2006 with a small digital, and I purchased a SLR camera.  

Over this time she was very busy working on her uni course during the week and travelling to London on weekends to write songs and work on her music. She had a few hit songs – one with Chipmunk and another with Wiley.

Then in 2011 she played King Tuts…everything was being carefully planned. I met Emeli at her sound check there and she kindly signed some prints for me. 

At King Tuts she said she wanted to do "soul with a rocky edge." She is genuine and sincere and she appeared incredibly motivated. She sings of the wonder and beauty within all of us. I love the positive and true vibes of her music. She is excellent live and her voice has a moving resonance.

I believe that the successful artist have a purpose in their art – a message they need to convey and that they believe is important.

In July 2012 Sande performed at the London opening and closing ceremonies.This May 2013 Emeli won two prizes at this year's Ivor Novello songwriting awards for her hit song Next To Me as best song music and lyrics, and also most performed work. Her album Our Version of Events beat a record set by The Beatles for the most consecutive weeks spent in the UK's Top 10 by a debut album. I’m so happy for all her successes. 

We all left the Oran Mor (and the Albert Hall all those years later!) full of that feel good energy she exudes on stage.  

I look forward to the next chapter!

Emeli Sande WINS Mastercard Album of the Year at The Brits Tonight!

Emeli Sande King Tuts 2010

Emeli Sande is nominated for several Brit Awards tonight- Best Female, Best Album, Best Single,  Break through Act - http://www.brits.co.uk/  Good Luck Emeli!

Her debut album ‘Our Version Of Events’  became the UK’s biggest selling debut album of 2012 and she sang at the Olympic Opening ceremonies in London July 2012. She also found the time to get married in 2012, its been quite a year for her! 

** Emeli won Best British Female 2013.

Emeli Sande says after winning Mastercard Album of the Year Award 2013 ' I'm an unlikely Popstar'  - she is such a genuine person : )

I have been following Emeli since her Oran Mor gig here in Glasgow December 2007.  I got come nice shots there that were used for her promotions in the following years. I first took shots of Emeli at the Oran Mor 2007 and she was attracting attention then for her big soul voice. Since then she has had several chart hit singles. 

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2012

I met her at her sound check King Tuts back in 2010, and was pleased she gave me time to discuss her music. She said then she hoped to do edgy or rockier soul pop and was influenced by American soul artists such as Nina Simone. Emeli described her sound as 'soul with a rockier edge.' She told me her musical influences came from a diverse range of artists such as rock bands Massive Attack and Portishead, as well as from folk singer songwriters such as Joni Mitchell.  I thought then that Emeli had substance and heart and a big future ahead of her. I enjoyed the positive messages of her songs which compare well to some of the rather raunchy or even questionable lyrics of many pop songs out there. Sande sings of Wonder, Next to Me and My Kind of Love.  

Sande plays piano and clarinet, and sang in the school choir (where her Zambian father was a music teacher). She was born in Sunderland and moved to Alford Aberdeenshire when she was four. She was previously a student at Glasgow Medical school. After attaining her inter-collated degree, she decided to pursue her dream in music and signed a publishing deal in 2009.

Since then she has written with artists in London and America over the past few years, and has co-written songs with well known American soul singer Alicia Keys.  

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2007

I first saw Emeli perform at her CD launch Oran Mor in 2007 and back then her influences were mainly soul, and singer songwriters such a singer Nina Simone. Her new songs for her debut album our Version of Events had more character and rhythm, structure and vibe around them and a broader range of influences.

In many ways it seems unbelievable to me her successes this past year and her singing Abide With Me at the Olympic ceremonies in London July 2012.

Royal Albert Hall

The highlight was my trip to see her live at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2012 – one of the most incredible experiences for me and a day I will never forget.  I will always remember ascending the narrow steps right into the venue where the lights shimmered above us and the anticipation of the concert was palpable…

Emeli said she missed the intense studying in the university library then at King Tuts, but I expect now that she is glad and proud of her decision to move to London in 2009 and pursue her music career!  Thank you Emeli for signing some of my prints. 

When I got the email to say I would have a pass for the Albert hall concert it is hard to describe the feelings. I put myself out there and it can be scary – sometimes I hear nothing… I guess it is best to try then not try at all!  And thank you Emeli for all the exciting concerts, for hearing your voice and wonderful songs live at the intimacy of the Oran Mor in 2011, and for the overwhelming Albert hall stage concert. Memories to treasure.  I can only imagine what 2012 has meant for you  : ).  http://www.emelisande.com/

Olympic Torch Relay Glasgow July 2012

 Emeli Sande Albert Hall November 2012
Emeli Sande says – we don’t express ourselves in music but rather that the music expresses us.