Emelie Sande Heaven Intro
- 1. Emeli Sandé - Heaven Set text LIST A Music Video INTRODUCTION
- 2. Introduction – Heaven Lyric Analysis • Read through the lyrics • Choose the most powerful words and phrases that provoke thoughts and ideas about themes, context and representation of social groups. • Do they give you any hints about what the music video could involve? • Are any themes evident through the lyrics of this song?
- 3. What Themes are evident in the lyrics? Religion - Title, “I wait with good intentions” Social ‘pressures’ (“Will you recognise me in the flashing lights? I try to keep my heartbeat…”) Guilt/Regret/Loss (“Something's gone inside me, and I can't get it back”.)
- 4. Expectations from lyrics? •Downbeat •Sad tones – minor keys •Slow •Genre? •Emeli Sande performance? •Other aspects? Narrative/Concept? Will it be mainly a performance or narrative video?
- 5. Emeli Sande – Background to Heaven Adele Sandé is a Scottish R&B and soul singer-songwriter who records under the stage name of Emeli Sandé. Before pursuing music, Sandé studied medicine at University of Glasgow. The Scot first entered the public eye in 2009 when she featured on rapper Chipmunk's debut single, “Diamond Rings," which gave her and Chipmunk a first top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart. In 2010, Sandé appeared again on Wiley's “Never Be Your Woman," which became another top ten hit, and on “Let Go," which was the closing track of Tinie Tempah's debut album. Sandé also co-penned Alesha Dixon's single “Radio." The same year she signed her first major record deal with Virgin Records before signing another deal with EMI in 2011. This euphoric Trip-Pop tune is Emeli Sandé's debut solo single. She wrote the song with Naughty Boy, who is a British grime producer who previously collaborated with her on "Diamond Rings" and "Never Be Your Woman.“ It was also the first release from Sandé's debut album, Our Version of Events on 14 August 2011. The single was added to BBC Radio One’s playlist in June 2011. The song was also crowned record of the week by the station’s daytime DJ, Fearne Cotton. The single is written by Sandé, Naughty Boy, Craze and Hoax, with producer Mike Spencer.
- 6. Release and Reception The single was released via digital download and 7” vinyl on 14 August and 15 August 2011, respectively. The single was made to pre- order several weeks before it was released on iTunes Digital Spy said that the song is a mixture of pacey house beats, mellow strings (arranged by Cliff Masterson) and Mark Ronson-esque horn sections. The song was also compared to Leona Lewis (whom Sandé has written tracks for) and Yasmin. One critic said that the song was “ticking all the good boxes in modern urban music." Critics also said that the song "stunned" them when they heard the song.
- 7. Production The single was released accompanied by a music video, which was filmed in London, UK It was shot in Bethnal Green, in East London where Sandé lives. "We wanted to capture a real British vibe and keep it really simple to emphasize the lyrics," the singer told Spinner It premiered on August 22, 2011 on Emeli Sandé's official YouTube account. The music video was directed by Jake Nava, who has previously worked with Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj..
- 8. Emeli Sande Said… “Heaven came from a conversation I was having with my producer Naughty Boy, we were talking about what it means to be good in this day and age, and how it’s harder for our generation because things move so fast, and how there’s so many influences and avenues, and he said, You just have to keep your heart clean. It was the imagery of a clean or dirty heart that inspired me, and we wrote it in about half an hour. I knew I wanted it to be my first song from the off.” “I definitely believe in God and I believe in heaven, although I don’t follow religion. Heaven was about trying to be good. My idea of heaven? A lot of music, somewhere very calm. I felt it at Christmas with the family around. Kids are so pure and innocent, and one was learning the piano. It reminded me of when I was learning.”