A music artist you really need to know about (if you don't already).

I love music.  I can't sing to save my life and I've never been good at any instrument, but I love music and have something playing almost constantly.  In my car, at home, when I'm working, seriously, if I could have a soundtrack playing over my life I totally would.

So when I find a new artist that I like, it makes me so happy.  And when that artist is truly amazing, and not just another packaged singer, I'm downright giddy.  Right now, I'm very giddy indeed.

If you don't know Emeli Sandé, you should.  For those of you who watched the Opening or Closing Ceremonies of the 2012 London Summer Olympics you've seen this amazing singer from Scotland.  She's unlike any artist I've seen lately, her voice is amazing and her sound is unique, which is so refreshing when looking at the landscape of female pop stars.  

After hearing her sing "Abide With Me" at the Opening Ceremony, and then "Read All About It" at the Closing Ceremony, I was hooked.  I had seen her perform "Next To Me" from her album "Our Version of Events" on the Graham Norton show months ago after the album's UK release but had put her out of my mind because every time I saw a great British artist on that show I could never find their music available here in the States.  But after her Olympic performances I was very hopeful and then thrilled to find her on the US iTunes store.

Trust me, with the new semester starting, my stress levels are extra high.  I need good music to calm me down and make me happy.  And I've been listening to her album almost non-stop.  If you like Adele or Alicia Keys, I think you'll love Emeli, personally I think I like her music better than the other two.  

Funny bit of trivia, Emeli's real name is Adele, but obviously that name was already taken.  And the academic in me loves that Emeli is a former med student, I love this video where she discusses school and music.  It's so nice to hear a music artist talk about the importance of going to school and saying she's glad she took the time to do it.

So you can get a sense of why I'm loving her music so much check out her performance of "Next To Me" on The Graham Norton show.

This is the song she sang for the Opening.  Just stunning.

And this is the song she sang for the Closing.

I also love "Wonder," "Clown," and "Maybe".  Ok, who am I kidding, I really love every song on the album.  If you download or purchase "Our Version of Events" it will have every song but "Abide With Me," but you can find that one separately on the soundtrack for the Opening Ceremonies.

You can purchase her music through iTunes (which has the deluxe version) or Amazon, or listen for free if you're on Spotify.  For more information on her music and to see more videos, check out her website here or view her YouTube channel here.  I hope you do, and I hope you enjoy her music as much as I am right now.