Emeli Sandé talks playing The O2, meeting the Queen and being in a good place

​Emeli Sandé is having something of a moment in 2017.

The Scottish singer recently began a huge arena tour and released the infectious single Starlight, which has taken her sound in a dancier new direction.

Tonight (October 18) she will headlines the O2 Arena, her biggest solo show to date.

Ever since she memorably performed at the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies in 2012, London has been a hugely significant city for her, and the O2 show promises to be no different.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Emeli said she is “overwhelmed” by the support from fans she’s already experienced on the tour.

“It’s the first time I’ve done a tour on this scale, and been able to have a big production… I’m really enjoying it.

"I opened up for Coldplay a few years ago but this will be the first time it’s all my fans. It’s quite overwhelming to be honest.

The tour comes in support of her 2016 album Long Live the Angels, a more sombre collection of songs which drew heavily from Sande’s divorce from husband Adam Gouraguine.

Speaking about the experiences behind Long Live the Angels, Emeli said: “Long Live the Angels was definitely very emotionally deep. I do love going there with songwriting, but towards to end of the album I wanted to give the light at the end of the tunnel.”

While the album has less of a celebratory feel to it, her latest single Starlight is much more positive, with the 30-year-old singer offering a more immediate sound from what we’ve heard before.

The track features on a forthcoming EP Kingdom Coming, and Sandé describes the track as being “a lot happier and a lot lighter".

“I made the song in the summer and it was just capturing that energy," she says. "It wasn’t attached to anything, so it was just about being free and having a bit of fun with the music."

The singer went on to say: “I just kind of wanted to try something with a different production. We also have an acoustic version, and the lyrics come out a little bit more on that version. So yeah, it was really good having freedom to try something new.”

It’s also been a big year for Emeli outside of music, after it was recently announced that Emeli was to be honoured with an MBE for services to music.

“I was so surprised,” she says about hearing the news. “You know, it’s something I never expected. I was in LA when I found out about it. I rang my parents straight away. Even though you get told I couldn’t tell anybody, there was no way I wasn’t going to tell my parents.”

How’s she feeling about meeting the Queen? “A little bit nervous. I mean, I really want to make sure I wear an outfit I don’t look back on and regret. I feel like that’s the biggest concern at the moment.”

Meanwhile, while tonight’s show at the O2 promises to be one of the biggest of her career, there will always be one performance which Emeli will be remembered for the most.

Speaking about her part in the 2012 Olympic closing ceremony, Sandé said: “I look back on it, and it just feels so surreal. It was just so big; just a massive audience.

“It’s hard to remember just how I was feeling at the time, but I just think, ‘wow, I can’t believe I did that’. It was such an amazing night, and I didn’t really realise at that point the impact it would have on my career. You know, so many people see you singing and a lot of people all talked about it. It was a big night.”

It was a memorable time for everyone involved, and Emeli’s landmark show at The O2 this evening promises to be another night to cherish.

Emeli Sandé plays the O2 arena on October 18. Tickets for the rest of her Long Live the Angels tour can be bought here