Emeli Sandé

Solo Artist

Photo: Sean Reynolds · CC BY 2.0
Active 2008-present
Origin Alford, Scotland
Albums 5
Tracks 67
Most frequent collaborator Naughty Boy · 14 tracks
Genres R&BSoulPop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 67 of 67 tracks

Does Emeli Sandé write her own songs?

Yes, all of them. She is credited on all 67 tracks across her five studio albums. Only three carry her name alone, so the catalogue is written but almost always co-written.

By the Numbers

5
Studio Albums
67
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
18
Years Active
88
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 67 / 67 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 67 tracks: how many Emeli Sandé wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Emeli Sandé has a writing credit100%
4%
96%
Sole author3tracks4%
Co-written64tracks96%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Emeli Sandé's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 67 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer12%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Emeli Sandé's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
2012Our Version of Events
2016Long Live the Angels
2019Real Life
2022Let's Say for Instance
2023How Were We to Know
Early · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2010s
Our Version of Events, Long Live the Angels +1 more
100%
2020s
Let's Say for Instance, How Were We to Know

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Emeli Sandé sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Emeli Sandé
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Whitney Houston5%
The Jacksons24%
En Vogue32%
Leona Lewis52%
Christina Aguilera74%
John Legend83%
Teddy Swims91%
100%Emeli Sandé
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Heaven
Our Version of Events
Written by Emeli Sandé, Naughty Boy, Harry Craze, Hugo Chegwin, Mike Spencer, Adele Emily Sandé, Shahid Khan
Co-wrote
Next to Me
Our Version of Events
Written by Emeli Sandé, Harry Craze, Hugo Chegwin, Adele Emily Sandé
Co-wrote
Clown
Our Version of Events
Written by Emeli Sandé, Naughty Boy, Grant Mitchell, Adele Emily Sandé, Shahid Khan
Co-wrote
My Kind of Love
Our Version of Events
Written by Emeli Sandé, Emile Haynie, Adele Emily Sandé
Co-wrote
Hurts
Long Live the Angels
Written by Emeli Sandé, Matthew Holmes, Philip Leigh, James Murray, Mustafa Omer, Adele Emily Sandé
Co-wrote
Breathing Underwater
Long Live the Angels
Written by Emeli Sandé, Chris Loco, Adele Emily Sandé, Christopher Crowhurst
Co-wrote

Discography 5 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of Emeli SandéEmeli Sandé67 tracks
Photo of Naughty Boy14Naughty Boy, 14 tracks PL12Philip Leigh, 12 tracks MH11Matthew Holmes, 11 tracks TM9Troy Miller, 9 tracks M&8Mac & Phil, 8 tracks LS8Laidi Saliasi, 8 tracks JM5James Murray, 5 tracks MO5Mustafa Omer, 5 tracks CL5Chris Loco, 5 tracks JC5Jonny Coffer, 5 tracks MM4Mojam Music*, 4 tracks CC3Christopher Crowhurst, 3 tracks M3Mojam, 3 tracks JM3Jacob McKenzie, 3 tracks HD3Henri Davies, 3 tracks OG3Ollie Green, 3 tracks HC2Harry Craze, 2 tracks HC2Hugo Chegwin, 2 tracks GM2Grant Mitchell, 2 tracks M2Mojam&nbsp, 2 tracks BH2Ben Harrison, 2 tracks L2L.Juby, 2 tracks TB2Tom Barnes, 2 tracks BK2Ben Kohn, 2 tracks GP2Gavin Powell, 2 tracks SA2Shakil Ashraf, 2 tracks S2Shakaveli, 2 tracks CH2Christopher Hanlon, 2 tracks LS2Lee Stashenko, 2 tracks F2Fallen, 2 tracks GB2Garfield Booker, 2 tracks MH2Maurice Hayes, 2 tracks TR2Teddy Raab, 2 tracks BT2Booker T, 2 tracks MS1Mike Spencer, 1 track EH1Emile Haynie, 1 track B1Bekon, 1 track C&1Craze & Hoax^, 1 track LJ1Luke Juby, 1 track MM1Mojam Music, 1 track PH1Paul Herman, 1 track AM1Ash Millard, 1 track H&1Herman & Millard, 1 track H1Harrison*, 1 track C&1Craze & Hoax, 1 track GA1Glyn Aikins, 1 track SM1Steve Mostyn, 1 track AK1Alicia Keys, 1 track PG1Professor Green, 1 track IJ1Iain James, 1 track PK1Pete Kelleher, 1 track SM1Stephen Manderson, 1 track P1ProducerWez, 1 track JE1Jay Electronica, 1 track ÁZ1Áine Zion, 1 track TT1Timothy Thedford, 1 track JS1Joel Sandé, 1 track TS1The Serenje Choir, 1 track PK1Peter Kelleher, 1 track WH1Wayne Hector, 1 track T1TMS, 1 track P1Pantha, 1 track NG1Nana G Boateng, 1 track SR1Salaam Remi, 1 track JP1James Poyser, 1 track on The Roots's page J1Jaykae, 1 track JK1Janum Khan, 1 track YK1Yoana Karemova, 1 track JS1Jabulani Sithole, 1 track SE1Sarah Eloho, 1 track PG1Prince Galalie, 1 track A1Aquarelle, 1 track FB1Fred Ball, 1 track FB1Fredrik Ball, 1 track JH1Jimmy Hamilton, 1 track H1Hamilto, 1 track MM1Mike Mayfield, 1 track R1Rachet, 1 track DJ1Darren Jones, 1 track NB1Nicky Brown, 1 track MD1Moyses Dos Santos, 1 track SS1Sam Sumser, 1 track SS1Sean Small, 1 track RA1Ray Angry, 1 track L1Leight, 1 track DC1Daniel Caruana, 1 track AL1Adam Lee, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. PL Philip Leigh · MH Matthew Holmes · TM Troy Miller · M& Mac & Phil · LS Laidi Saliasi

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

She is credited on all 67 tracks across the five albums, which is what you would expect from someone who started as a professional songwriter. Only three of those she wrote entirely alone. Naughty Boy is the constant early partner at fourteen tracks; Philip Leigh and Matthew Holmes take over on the later records. The mix of always writing and almost never writing alone is the shape of a career built inside writing rooms.

Quick Facts

  • FromAlford, Aberdeenshire, recording since 2008
  • Self-writtenCredited on all 67 tracks across her five albums
  • Sole writerOnly three tracks carry her name and nobody else's
  • Best sellerOur Version of Events sold one million copies in the UK and is certified 8x platinum
  • Biggest song"Next to Me" reached number two in the UK and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100
  • Brit AwardsFour wins, including Best British Female Solo Artist in 2017

Creative Fingerprint

A songwriter first: on every track she has released, and on all but three of them with somebody else in the room.

The Story

Emeli Sandé wrote for other people before she recorded anything of her own. Our Version of Events came out in 2012, spent ten non-consecutive weeks at number one in the UK and became that year's best-selling British album. Five studio albums have followed, moving from pop-soul toward gospel and disco.

Awards & Recognition

Brit Award, Critics' Choice (2012)
Brit Award, Best British Female Solo Artist (2017)
Brit Awards, four wins in total

Frequently Asked Questions Emeli Sandé

Does Emeli Sandé write her own songs?
Yes, all of them. She is credited on all 67 tracks across her five studio albums. Only three carry her name alone, so the catalogue is written but almost always co-written.
Who wrote "Next to Me"?
Emeli Sandé with Naughty Boy, Hugo Chegwin and Harry Craze. It reached number two in the UK and number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, her only US chart entry as a lead artist.
Did she write for other artists first?
Yes. She built a career as a songwriter before releasing her own records, which is why her name appears on everything she sings.
How many albums has Emeli Sandé released?
Five: Our Version of Events in 2012, Long Live the Angels in 2016, Real Life in 2019, Let's Say for Instance in 2022 and How Were We to Know in 2023.
How well did Our Version of Events sell?
One million copies in the UK, making it the best-selling British album of 2012. It is certified 8x platinum by the BPI and gold in both the United States and Australia.
Who does she write with most?
Naughty Boy on fourteen tracks across the early albums, then Philip Leigh on twelve and Matthew Holmes on eleven on the later ones.
What awards has she won?
She won the Brit Awards Critics' Choice award in 2012 and Best British Female Solo Artist in 2017, her fourth win in total.
What is her real name?
Adele Emily Sandé. She records as Emeli Sandé, born in Sunderland in 1987 and raised in Aberdeenshire.
Which songs did she write alone?
Three across the whole catalogue, one each on Long Live the Angels, Real Life and How Were We to Know.
How has her sound changed?
Our Version of Events is pop-soul, Real Life leans on gospel with Troy Miller producing, and Let's Say for Instance mixes classical, disco and R&B.

Sources

Wikipedia: Emeli Sandé Wikipedia: Emeli Sandé discography File:Emeli Sande V Festival 2012 - Wikimedia Commons