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This profile is part of Queerty’s 2022 Out For Good series, recognizing public figures who’ve had the courage to come out and make a difference in the past year, in celebration of National Coming Out Day on October 11.
Name: Emeli Sandé, 35
Bio: There wasn’t a bigger U.K. musical act in 2012 than Emeli Sandé. She had already made waves collaborating with artists such as Chipmunk and Wiley, but when the Scottish singer released her debut studio album, Our Version Of Events, she skyrocketed into superstardom. The album was lauded for its honest and raw takes, traversing lyrical themes of religion, love, loss, and fame over soulful belts. The album was the U.K.’s best-selling album of 2012, officially certified 8x platinum, and won the British Album of the Year Award at the 2013 Brit Awards.
4 albums, 3 headlining tours, and a treasure trove of industry awards later, Sandé is still carving out her own lane in music. Her fourth album Let’s Say For Instance marked her first album release under an independent label and a well-deserved creative release for the emotive soprano.
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Coming Out: In a soul-bearing interview with Metro UK on March 31, 2022, Sandé disclosed that she was in a relationship with a woman. The woman in question was Yoana Karemova, a classical pianist who Sandé met while researching classical music. “We met through music,” shared Sandé with Metro UK. “And I definitely feel happier than ever. It feels great.”
The interview came a day after the release of her music video “There Isn’t Much.” Shot in one take, Sandé sings passionately that a life without the one she loves is a life that isn’t worth much, all while surrounded by a collection of dancers that video’s director Mareike Macklon described as the queer community.
“If you don’t really have someone to share it with or someone supporting you behind the scenes, it’s very difficult,” stated Sandé. “So now I feel very fulfilled: I’ll always love music and I love my career but now it just feels that despite what happens, I can just enjoy life and be really happy.”
Her Version of Events: Do you believe in love after love? Well, Sandé does. In September 2012, at a time when her debut album launched her into the music stratosphere, she married her longtime partner, marine biologist Adam Gouraguine. However, after two years of marriage, the paircalled it quits.
But so much can transpire in a decade. Ten years after the marriage, Sandé announced her relationship with Karemova. Her first publicly recorded queer relationship, Sandé was still learning more about herself. When asked if she identified as bisexual, Sandé responded with, “I’m not sure what I identify as but I guess so. I just feel like I should fall in love with whoever I fall in love with.”
No need to have it all figured out. All that matters is the love that these two share. Two days after the interview, Sandé gushed about her beloved partner in a heartwarming Instagram post.
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Seems like there’s plenty of love between the two and it continues to grow. On September 21, 2022, Sandé announced that she and Karemova were engaged. With the simple Instagram caption “I said yes!”
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Karemova released her own Instagram post of a cake, sharing “I just would like to say we are forever together! And so happy you replied with “YES.” Thank you everyone for your love and support so truly appreciated.”
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Honestly, we love to see it. The two lovebirds will be joining in matrimony in the near future, but before that happens, they’ve already joined forces in music. All of that classical music research that Sandé was doing turned into a beautiful collaboration between her and Karemova. Titled “July 25,” the song becomes a lovely interlude for Sandé’s latest album Let’s Say For Instance. I’m not crying, you are!
We love a happy ending and as a musical storyteller, Sandé does too. Thankfully she is the author who gets to write it in. I mean, it is her version of events after all.
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