Elmiene launches his North American headline tour tonight in Detroit, and he’s doing it with a brand new version of “Honour” featuring rising soul star Baby Rose, out now. The track, taken from his debut album ‘sounds for someone,’ gets a whole new dimension from Baby Rose’s grounding, self-aware verse, her vocal locking in with Elmiene’s with a seamlessness that makes the collaboration feel entirely natural. The two voices approach the song’s themes of intimacy and uncertainty from complementary emotional angles, and the result is one of the more compelling R&B releases of the spring.
‘sounds for someone’ is a 12-track debut that traces two decades of familial trials and triumphs through deeply personal songwriting and production from an exceptional lineup including Sampha, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, No I.D., and Raphael Saadiq, who also contributes as a featured artist. Single “Reclusive” has already crossed 13 million combined streams. NME gave the record five stars, calling it cinematic. Rolling Stone UK awarded four stars, praising his “astounding range and control.” DIY added four more, noting a vocal “that can break and fix hearts within the space of one single song.” That’s a critical reception most debut albums don’t come close to.
The British-Sudanese vocalist has been building to this moment with real intention. His COLORS session sparked instant fandom. His NPR Tiny Desk Concert has surpassed one million views and earned praise for his “vintage voice.” He sold out O2 Academy Brixton, performed at the BET Awards, supported Stevie Wonder at British Summer Time Hyde Park, and received nominations for the BRITs Rising Star Award and the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award. His This Is The Remix EP saw his own tracks reimagined by Timbaland, Blxst, and IAMNOBODI.
The North American leg runs through May 31 in Los Angeles, touching 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada. The UK and European leg follows in late November, closing December 8 at London’s Eventim Apollo. These are rooms that match exactly where Elmiene is right now, and based on everything he’s delivered so far, they’re going to feel too small before long.
Tour Dates:
April 30, Detroit, MI, St. Andrew’s Hall
May 1, Chicago, IL, Riviera Theatre
May 3, Toronto, ON, Opera House
May 6, Brooklyn, NY, Brooklyn Paramount
May 7, Silver Spring, MD, The Fillmore
May 9, Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts
May 11, Charlotte, NC, The Fillmore
May 12, Nashville, TN, Brooklyn Bowl
May 14, Birmingham, AL, Saturn
May 15, Atlanta, GA, Coca Cola Roxy
May 17, Houston, TX, House of Blues
May 19, Austin, TX, Emo’s
May 20, Dallas, TX, House of Blues
May 23, Salt Lake City, UT, The Depot
May 26, Sacramento, CA, Ace of Spades
May 27, Berkeley, CA, The UC Theatre
May 29, Phoenix, AZ, Crescent Ballroom
May 31, Los Angeles, CA, The Wiltern
November 29, Amsterdam, NL, Melkweg
November 30, Berlin, DE, The Metropol
December 2, Paris, FR, Salle Pleyel
December 3, Brussels, BE, Ancienne Belgique
December 5, Bristol, UK, O2 Academy
December 6, Manchester, UK, Albert Hall
December 8, London, UK, Eventim Apollo