By Cara Sulieman
THE proud parents of Scots MOBO songstress Emeli Sande said they always had faith their “little girl” would make it big in music – before watching her perform before a TV audience of millions last night.
Thrilled Diane and Joel Sande travelled down from the family home in Alford, Aberdeenshire last night (Wed) to watch their daughter perform on stage at the SECC in Glasgow with rapper Chipmunk.
And whilst for many this is just the start of the talented singer’s career, for her parents it is the result of many years hard work.
It culminated in last night’s performance of Diamond Rings, written by the talented Scots student, and nominated for Best Song.
Glasgow University
Diane, 48, said: “She has worked very hard for the last few years to get here. Not only does she put all the effort into her music, but she manages to juggle it with her studies as well.”
The 22-year-old is a full-time student at Glasgow University in her fourth year of medicine and manages to make time for both her work and her music.
Diane said: “We’re very pleased that she has decided to keep on at her studies, her degree is very important to us as a family.
“But equally I said to her when she left to go to university that she needed to make time for her music.
“Balance out”
“Writing and performing is a passion for her and I think it’s helpful for her to have these two very different things in her life.
“They balance each other out.
“She’s said that she’s met a lot of other people on her course who have very creative hobbies so it must be a common combination.”
Her two biggest fans – who will always know their “little girl” by her real name Adele – aren’t putting too much emphasis on the Best Song gong as the performance means more to them.
“Icing on the cake”
Speaking before the awards last night (Weds) Joel Sande said: “The award doesn’t matter so much, everyone will see her performing on the stage and hear her music.
“That is the most important thing out of everything.”
And proud mum Diane added: “It doesn’t matter if she wins or not. Performing at the Mobos is the most exciting part of the experience, if Diamond Rings wins the award then that would be the icing on the cake.”
And the couple are taking their daughter’s rise to fame in their stride, pragmatically saying that it is “what she deserves”.
Regulars at her gigs up and down the country, they chat away to musicians and writers from EMI – who Emeli has a publishing deal with – and rappers and producers who work with their daughter.
“Better than them”
But it seems natural to them as they have always had confidence in Emeli’s talent.
Joel said: “It is good that she is getting recognition now after all the work she has put in.
“We used to sit and watch other people getting signed up and performing and I would think ‘My Adele is better than them’.
“And now everyone has noticed how good she is. Music has always been important to her and to us as a family.”
Although her father teaches Technology at her old school – Alford Academy – he also set up the school choir in which Emeli was a founding member.
“Bit odd”
The rap song that has brought her success is quite different from the soul music she writes for herself and it took her family some time to get used to it.
Joel said: “Diamond Rings is a very catchy song but when she first sent it up to us to listen to we thought it was a bit odd.
“It grows on you – I think everyone thinks that about it.”
Whatever happens in the future, Diane and Joel will be behind her 100 per cent, and fully intend to be standing at the back cheering on their daughter at as many performances they can make.
Diane: “We are always very proud of her. So much has happened for her recently and she deserves everything she is getting.”
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