Clown (Emeli Sandé song)

Background

The song was written by Sandé, Shahid Khan, Grant Mitchell and produced by Khan under his production name of Naughty Boy. The story of the song talks about Sandé's first experiences in the music industry, mainly reflecting her search to get signed by a music company and the encounters with several music business people in the industry. Commenting on the song, Sandé said: “It’s about how I felt when I was trying to get signed, I was going for all these meetings and people were looking at me like ‘What do we do with you’? It’s about not allowing yourself to be judged by others or to be taken for an idiot. I feel the video reflects that.”

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Clown" was first released onto YouTube on 6 December 2012 at a total length of three minutes and forty-seven seconds. It was directed by WIZ. The video was held in the style of a Silent film and shows Sandé being urged by a group of men, in military uniform, to sign a document in order to get something in return.

Promotion

Sandé performed "Clown" during the final of the ninth series of The X Factor on 9 December 2012, as well as appearing on The Voice of Holland in November 2012. Sandé also performed the song on The Graham Norton Show on 11 January 2013.

"Clown" debuted in Australia at #34 on the week commencing 2 June 2014 on the back of The Voice contestants Candice Skjonnemand and Thando Sikwila performing the song on the show on 26 May 2014.

Track listing

1. "Clown" – 3:41
2. "Clown" (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – 4:06
3. "Kill the Boy" – 3:43
4. "Clown" (Instrumental) – 3:41
5. "Clown" (Music video) – 3:46

1. "Clown" / "Next to Me" (Live from the BRITs) - 4:53

Credits and personnel