I made £250 a month on the Co-op – now I’m singing for the Pope, says EMELI SANDE

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande, 37, has won four Brit Awards and had two UK No 1 singles and a No 1 album, entitled Our Version Of Events, writes Peter Robertson. 

Her latest single, Roots, is out now on her own label, Venus Records. 

Born in 1987 to a Zambian father and English mother, Emeli was raised with her sister Lucy in Aberdeenshire. 

She was awarded an MBE in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to music. 

Divorced, she lives in East London with her partner, classical pianist Yoana Karemova. 

Emeli studied medicine at Glasgow University but abandoned the course to pursue a music career. She performed for the Pope at the Vatican yesterday.

What did your parents teach you about money?

Neither of my parents grew up with money so they were careful with it. Mum was always proud to find a bargain, and

saving was commended. Zambia was a different world for my dad. Education helped him improve his life and he trained as an engineer. We’ve been developing a village in Zambia and he found water underground, built houses, set up electricity and solar power, and started farming there. I go over once a year.

What was your first pay packet?

My first job was at the Co-op of my village, Alford, aged 16, doing everything from the till (which my mum did, too) to turning all the tins around. I got about £250 a month, and at the time I thought I was loaded. The manager is still there, so if I go in I say hello.

Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?

My family made a lot of sacrifices for me. They didn’t have much, so they saved up for me to have piano lessons and spent a lot of money on petrol driving me from Aberdeen to London.

When I was 15, Choice FM invited me to London to take part in its Rapology competition, and MTV presenter Richard Blackwood had me down to the Camden studios to sing gospel.

My move to London in 2009 was a big risk. I did a show for BBC Radio 1Xtra and met Naughty Boy, who went on to produce rapper Chipmunk’s song Diamond Rings, which we co-wrote and I sang on. I knew I could afford to live in London for a year and that gave me the push to work hard. I signed a deal with Virgin Records in 2010 and another with EMI in 2011. So I was a few years into my music career when I started to make money from it.

Have you ever been paid silly money?

It felt like that the first time I made money from music, as it was something I’d done for free all my life. It’s an honour to play at events such as the Olympics and the Pope’s Christmas concert, but I performed at a care home last week and that was one of the highlights of my year because I could connect with people.

What has been the best year of your life financially?

It was 2012-13 when my first album, Our Version Of Events, came out. It went to No 1 four times in 2012, and became the UK’s biggest-selling album of that year, having sold 1,393,000 copies in the UK alone.

Are you a spender or a saver?

I’m a spender. But I don’t have a flashy life. Studio equipment is a weakness. I’m fascinated by music technology, and there’s always something new to be had.

What’s the most expensive thing you bought for fun?

I’ve never bought a car. But last year I bought a cool electric bike from a friend who was moving to Dubai. It goes as fast as a car, so I have to be careful.

What’s the best money decision you’ve made?

Investing in my music. When you’re not with a label, you don’t have financial support. I made an album during the Covid lockdown which I invested in myself. It’s risky as streaming music doesn’t make much money, but it gave me artistic freedom. I’ve also been pulling together my own record label this year. I hope I can continue to afford running it as it gives me autonomy.

Do you have a pension?

I believe so! I have an accountant and I trust them to keep things afloat.

Do you own any property?

I have a house in London in a fantastic location. It used to be a carpentry warehouse so it is quirky. It has two bedrooms and feels like a country cottage even though it’s in the middle of the city.

Do you donate money to charity?

I put aside money to help projects I’m working on, such as the one in Zambia. I also work with Nordoff and Robbins, which trains music therapists to help deliver music therapy for vulnerable people in society.

What would you have done if music hadn’t worked out?

I probablywould have finished my medicine course at Glasgow and become a doctor, or perhaps a psychiatrist or a therapist. Sometimes I think, ‘Would I have gone back to university to study music?’, too.

If you were Chancellor, what would you do?

I’d increase wages for doctors, nurses and teachers, who are the backbone of this country. I’d also invest a lot more in the arts and remind people how important they are for our mental health.

I try to keep up to date with politics. When I performed at the White House in 2013, I went around with my make-up artist having tea with people who make global decisions. President Obama said: ‘My daughters really like your music.’ It will stay in my memory.

What is your top indulgence?

Every month or so I get re-adjusting massages from a former singer and chiropractor. She’s teaching me about how the body affects the voice. I want it to be relaxing but she says, ‘No, you’re going to have to experience some discomfort if you want your body realigned’. So it’s a love/hate thing.

What is your No.1 financial priority?

To be able to take care of my loved ones and be in a position where I don’t get stressed about finances. If that means downsizing and simplifying life, so be it.

Money stress can stop you being able to do what you want. It will probably become harder to be an artist as I age. But the music is ageless, and hopefully people will hear that. Annie Lennox – also from Aberdeen – is still going strong [at 69]. The older we get, the wiser we get, and we have so much to say.

• emelisande.com

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