Live

Emeli Sandé: Roundhouse Festival, Roundhouse, London 19/1/22

It may only have been 10 years, but the 2012 Olympics feels like a lifetime ago. After a troubled few years, it's easy to get nostalgic for that summer when everything felt so much more upbeat. Among the many defining images of those few weeks were the career-defining performances by Scottish soon-to-be superstar Emeli Sandé, whose "Our Version of Events" album propelled her into the stratosphere that same year. In the years since I've been lucky to see her perform at a sold-out O2 Arena in London, and her star still shines brightly a year later.

The addition of Sandé’s name on the bill for this year's In The Round festival at Camden's The Roundhouse was a massive statement of intent, and it was no surprise that demand for tickets was high. The venue, which can usually stand several thousand music fans, was converted into a seated arena ahead of the show, with the lucky few inside treated to a sparkling showcase of one of the country's top talents.

With the euphoria of 2012 now long in the past, Sande's career is on the cusp of an exciting new phase, with a new album on the horizon in the coming months, hot on the heels of her latest single "Brighter Days". The track catches her at her most powerful, and the stripped-back format of The Roundhouse performance is an excellent opportunity to show why she remains such a draw.

For the entire set, it's just Sandé seated at a piano, with no band onstage. The lighting is spectacular and her easy dialogue adds to the sense of intimacy. She combines old and new, with "Look What You've Done" and "Another One" demonstrating how she has moved with the times. Throughout the evening spontaneous cheers break out as Sandé tears through her impressive catalogue of work.

Crowd pleasers "Read All About It" and the anthem "Next To You" are predictably well-received, but if anything it's the newer material that catches the eye. Performing without anyone else to share the stage is a bold move, and it's a bold move that more than paid off for Sandé, who remains a compelling live artist with plenty more to come.

PHOTOS: DAVE BURKE
Words Dave Burke