Sandé made her singing career debut in 2009 after appearing on the track she wrote for Chipmunk's first debut single, "Diamond Rings". The single charted at No. 6 on the UK Singles Charts, making it Chipmunk and Sandé's first ever Top 10 Hit. She later appeared on another single singing guest vocals, after collaborating with Wiley on his comeback single "Never Be Your Woman", the single charted at number-eight on the UK Singles Charts becoming Sandé's second consecutive Top 10 Single.
Sandé decided against using the name Adele Sandé, due to Adele's growing success, so used her middle name instead. She revealed: "I changed it as soon as Adele came out. I just thought, 'You've kind of taken the [name] now', so I went with my middle name. She was just getting bigger and bigger, so I thought I just really need it."
A former medical student, Sandé appeared as a guest vocalist on Professor Green's 2011 UK #1 single Read All About It and soon went on to achieve her own chart success with her first solo release Heaven, which debuted in the UK Singles Chart at #2. Her debut album Our Version of Events was released on 12th February 2012. The album includes the singles Next To Me, Daddy and My Kind Of Love.
Before branching out on her own Sandé had already had a taste of chart success having collaborated with rapper Chipmunk on his song Diamond Rings, and then with Wiley on Never Be Your Woman. She has also written for or collaborated with artists including Let Go, Let It Rain, Susan Boyle and Cheryl Cole.
In a major feature in their Saturday Review paper, The Times declared Emeli Sandé "The Voice of 2012". The New York Times said “Ms. Sandé has a perspective-altering voice, clear and brassy and weapons-grade”. Fellow artists have also proclaimed their admiration, including Alicia Keys, “I just love her style and her flow – super raw.”, and Adele, "How incredible is she?".
Our Version of Events is the UK's biggest selling debut album of 2012.
Sandé appeared at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. She performed Abide with Me
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Somebody
Emeli Sandé Lyrics
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In this cigarette
Helpin' us get lifted
Helpin' us forget
I swear there's something extra runnin'
Runnin' in our blood
We're in a hatchback party with the music turned up
Like I'm somebody
As if I'm really somebody
Tonight I am a big fucking deal
Tonight I just know how it might feel
To be somebody
Like I'm really somebody
Tonight I am a big fucking deal
Tonight I just know how it might feel
Runnin' from the city
Up the motorway
You know you can't have me
But you kiss me anyway, yeah
They can come and get us
This time we won't run
And I say a little prayer that the morning never comes
And I'm screaming over here from the top of my lungs
I am somebody
As if I'm really somebody
Tonight I am a big fucking deal
Tonight I know just how it might feel
To be somebody
Like I'm really somebody
Tonight I am a big fucking deal
Tonight I know just how it might feel
To be somebody
As if I'm really somebody
Tonight
Tonight
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I am somebody
I'm really, really somebody
I'm tellin' you, I'm somebody
I swear to God, I'm somebody
The lyrics to Emeli Sandé's song "Somebody" explore the feelings of empowerment and self-worth that can be derived from moments of rebellion and escapism. The first verse sets the scene with the singer indulging in a cigarette, which is portrayed as a means of lifting and helping them forget. There is a sense that something extra is running in their blood, perhaps referring to the adrenaline and excitement that comes with breaking free from societal constraints.
The second verse describes a scene of rebellious freedom, with the singer and their companions in a hatchback car, blaring music, and defiantly gesturing to the world. It is a moment where they feel larger than life, as if they are truly somebody important and noteworthy. The use of explicit language in this context serves to emphasize the intensity of the moment and the singer's conviction in their own significance.
The chorus reinforces this feeling of being someone special. The singer states that tonight, they are a big deal and they know how it might feel to truly be somebody. There is a sense of confidence and self-assuredness that comes with this realization. It is a brief but powerful affirmation of their own identity and worth.
In the bridge, the singer describes running away from the city, symbolizing a desire to escape the constraints of everyday life. Despite knowing that they can't have the freedom they seek, they are still willing to embrace it, even if it is temporary and comes with consequences. The lyrics convey a sense of defiance and determination, suggesting that this time, the singer won't back down or run away from the challenges that may come their way.
The repeating lines in the second half of the chorus, where the singer asserts that they are somebody, serve as a mantra or declaration. It is a reaffirmation of their self-worth and a defiant declaration that they do matter, regardless of external validation. Overall, the lyrics of "Somebody" are about embracing moments of rebellion and freedom, and finding a sense of self-worth and importance in the midst of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
I swear there's something different
I strongly feel that there's a change or uniqueness in my situation
In this cigarette
In the act of smoking this cigarette
Helpin' us get lifted
Assisting us in experiencing a sense of euphoria
Helpin' us forget
Assisting us in temporarily escaping or letting go of our troubles
I swear there's something extra runnin'
I strongly believe that there's an additional element or feeling present
Runnin' in our blood
Flowing through our veins, deeply ingrained in our essence
We're in a hatchback party with the music turned up
We're in a lively celebration inside a hatchback car, blasting loud music
Got my head out the window throwing two fingers up
I have my head outside the window, rebelliously gesturing with two raised fingers
Like I'm somebody
Acting as if I possess importance or identity
As if I'm really somebody
As if I genuinely hold significance or value
Tonight I am a big fucking deal
Tonight, I am someone of immense importance or influence
Tonight I just know how it might feel
Tonight, I have a strong understanding of the potential emotions or sensations
Runnin' from the city
Escaping or fleeing from the urban environment
Up the motorway
Heading along the highway
You know you can't have me
You're aware that you can't possess or control me
But you kiss me anyway, yeah
However, you still engage in intimate gestures like kissing
They can come and get us
Others can try to capture or apprehend us
This time we won't run
But this time, we won't escape or flee
And I say a little prayer that the morning never comes
And I quietly hope that the morning doesn't arrive, prolonging the current moment
And I'm screaming over here from the top of my lungs
And I'm passionately shouting from a place of intense emotion
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I am somebody
Expressing with conviction that I am indeed a person of significance
I'm really, really somebody
I genuinely hold a true identity and importance
I'm tellin' you, I'm somebody
I am confidently declaring that I possess value and worth
I swear to God, I'm somebody
I honestly and sincerely affirm that I am a person of significance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Crowhurst, Emeli Sande
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Smolarek
on Enough (Live At the Royal Albert Hall)
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