From humble beginnings as a shy teenager growing up in rural Aberdeenshire – the daughter of a Zambian father and a mother from a working-class Cumbrian family – Sandé has risen to become one of Britain’s most successful and respected artists, awarded an MBE for services to music in 2017. Even as a child, singing for her was freedom, and a safe space in which to discover her identity. She attended medical school in Glasgow before deciding to take the leap and pursue her dream of a career in music. Upon moving to London, she met producer Naughty Boy, with whom she wrote and contributed vocals for north London rapper Chipmunk’s irrepressible 2009 hit “Diamond Rings”, as well as Naughty Boy’s debut single “Wonder” in 2012.
Sandé’s own debut, 2012’s 'Our Version Of Events', arrived after she was announced as the winner of the Critics’ Choice prize at the BRIT Awards, in a blaze of critical acclaim and praise from legendary artists including Madonna and Alicia Keys. Featuring hit singles including “Heaven”, “Read All About It” and “Next To Me”, 'Our Version Of Events' was the biggest-selling album of the year and remains one of the best-selling records of the 2010s.
