Emeli Sandé reveals she wishes she had spoken about sexuality sooner

Emeli Sandé revealed in an interview to promote her new album that she is in a relationship with a woman. (Getty)
Emeli Sandé revealed in an interview to promote her new album that she is in a relationship with a woman. (Getty)

Emeli Sandé said she wishes she had been open about her sexuality sooner after the positive reaction to her announcement that she's dating a woman.

The 35-year-old singer, who was previously married to marine biologist Adam Gouraguine, revealed last month in an interview with Metro that she's now in a relationship with pianist Yoana Karemova.

Read more: Phillip Schofield accepts special recognition prize after coming out

Sandé said at the National Student Pride event over the weekend that she had decided she would be honest if she was asked about relationships while promoting new album Let's Say for Instance.

The star said "I wish I would have maybe done this sooner" because it feels "really good" to speak openly about her new romance.

Watch: Emeli Sandé performs at benefit concert for Ukraine

She said: "Even on the interview, as soon as I said 'I'm in love with Yoana', he was like 'so what does that make you?' and I hadn't really thought about it, I was just enjoying being in love.

"I just feel that I can fall in love with anybody at any time, and right now I'm in love with Yoana and that's it for life."

Read more: Demi Lovato shares video about they/them pronouns

"It's all new as in like being out and being proud, that's new to me, but I've always felt that I never have rules of who I fall in love with and I've always felt so much support from the community.

"So it's not something that feels like my life has changed that much. It's just who knows about it and being open, that's the main part."

In an Instagram post last week, Sandé wrote that it had "taken many years to find the strength to be myself" when it came to being a part of the LGBT+ community.

She added: "Thank you so much for your acceptance and kind wishes. Feels like a huge weight has been lifted, here’s to a new beginning in truth and happiness."

Read more: Cardi B responds to queerbaiting claims

Sandé rose to fame in 2011 with her appearance on the Professor Green track Read All About It and Labrinth collaboration Beneath Your Beautiful, which both went to number one in the UK.

She performed at the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics in London and has now released four studio albums.

Watch: Emeli Sandé performs at women's march