Rising British-Sudanese songwriter and vocalist Elmiene continues to unveil the debut of his forthcoming album sounds for someone with two new songs, “HONOUR” and bonus track “I Want In” out now via Def Jam Recordings. Listen HERE.
“HONOUR” unfolds as a plea for mutual recognition highlighting a yearning for validation met with dignity and belief. With lyrics such as “As much as you’re my light / We always fuss and fight / I wish you just believed in me”, Elmiene places the trials and tribulations of his familial relationship with his father on full display. He couples the release with a video Bonus track “I Want In” shifts the lens from “HONOUR’S” soundboard of dignity to desire and perpetuates a theme of intimacy requiring one to relinquish certainty in favor of possibility. The repeated declaration of “I Want In” throughout the melodic chorus articulates the want for love before it’s been fully secured.
Both songs reiterate sounds for someone taking listeners on an emotional rollercoaster through a 2-decade journey of familial ups and downs that has shaped how Elmiene sees the world and also himself. Elmiene gave fans a recent dose of the album with “Reclusive” and “Cry Against The Wind” which have reacted with listeners and presented looks from the likes of Rated R&B, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, and more. TRENCH praised the track’s “twinkling melodies” and “driving rhythm.” SoulBounce professed, “Elmiene sings an anthem for anyone who battles between craving their solitude and wanting to be social.” sounds for someone has production and songwriting support from GRAMMY Award winning singer / songwriter Raphael Saadiq, Sampha and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman as well as GRAMMY Award winning producers No I.D and more.
“Making this album was painful, I felt lonely sometimes, I felt loved sometimes. I felt guilty sometimes and I felt forgiven sometimes but most of all it was an important duty to myself that I needed to fulfil.” – Elmiene
Coupled with the arrival of his anxiously awaited album, Elmiene’s SOLD OUT sounds for someone headline tour is set to debut on April 30th across North America and Europe this spring. The jaunt will visit 18 cities throughout the United States and Canada, promoted by Live Nation Urban (LNU) – joining a slew of previous highly successful LNU campaigns, including the Roots Picnic, BET Experience, Broccoli City, Black On The Block, Lil’ Weezyana Fest, ONE Musicfest, “An Evening with Jagged Edge: 25 Years of J.E. Heartbreak,” “New Wave Tour,” and “Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout,” along with the announcements of the “Room 112 Tour” and the “Girls Love Karaoke Live 2025-2026 Tour,” both of which are currently underway.
Elmiene latest EP titled Heat The Streets Some Mo’ is a remix EP of his highly acclaimed mixtape Heat The Streets – which recieved playlisting love from BBC Radio 1Xtra and Tune of the Week on BBC Radio 1, a special nod of excitement from notable R&B songstress, Kehlani as well as “Damage Control” making its live performance debut on Apple Music’s The Ebro Show. In addition to the new remix EP, Elmiene delivered brand new track “By Now” – a melodic reflection of trying to move on from a past flame. Most recently, Elmiene was nominated for Outstanding New Artist at The 2026 NAACP Image Awards as well as nominated for The People’s Choice Award at the 2025 EBONY Power 100.
Elmiene’s slew of live shows feels like bucket list accolades: he performed at the BET Awards, played at the Roots Picnic, and supported Stevie Wonder at BST Hyde Park. His iconic NPR Tiny Desk Concert recently surpassed 1 million viewers, and his interview on The Terrell Show found further reverence for Elmiene’s R&B credentials when he impressed viewers by singing Uncle Sam’s “I Don’t Ever Want To See You Again.” Last month, he performed at Spotify’s “RNB X Live” in NYC as well as had his special “Live From” intimate performances in Brooklyn, Toronto, Houston, Charlotte and Atlanta. He has been named an Artist To Watch on a handful of platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, MTV, NME Magazine, The Guardian, BBC and more – and is gearing up to be a top familiar face on the music scene throughout 2026 and beyond.
After breaking through in 2023 with his El-Mean and Marking My Time EPs, the BRIT-nominated musician had a prolific 2024 with two more original EPs Anyway I Can and For The Deported as well as two live releases Live at RAK Studios and Live from 525 – the latter comprising covers of tracks by Frank Ocean, Prince and Cleo Sol. This year his This Is The Remix EP saw his own tracks reimagined by Timbaland, Blxst and IAMNOBODI.
Elmiene has been embraced by a global community of creatives – collaborating with some of the most sought-after names in music including Leon Thomas, ASAP Ferg, Syd, Sampha, Lil Silva, D’Mile, Dahi and Stormzy – and hotly tipped by press and tastemakers with coverage in Dazed, The Guardian, The Face, NME, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone and Complex. He received a nomination for the BRITs Rising Star Award and the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award, plus he was shortlisted as one of the artist to watch on the BBC Radio 1 Sound of 2024 poll, VEVO, MTV, Pandora Music, BBC 1Xtra and Ticketmaster.