Adele Sandé praises 'talented, musical' hometown
Victoria WaiA music star has shared her pride in her hometown's creativity.
Adele Sandé - formerly known as Emeli - spoke out as she made her first performance under her birth name at The Fire Station in Sunderland.
It marked the start of the city's Year of Music, celebrating its new status as an official Music City.
She described the concert as a "homecoming" and said: "Sunderland genuinely is a very creative, talented musical city."
Sandé was born in Sunderland, and later moved to Scotland.
Her musical breakthrough came in 2011 with the release of her debut album Our Version of Events, which topped the UK Albums Chart.
She went on to perform at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics in London, as well as earning her the Critics' Choice Award at the 2012 BRIT Awards and Best British Female Solo Artist in 2013.
Sunderland's Year of Music runs until June 2026, with more than 500 events planned. Sandé's performance on the 21 June was followed by indie rockers Franz Ferdinand on 25 June.
Like Sandé, Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos spent his early years in Sunderland before moving to Scotland.
The city was recently successful in bidding for Arts Council England funding, according to the Music City team.
Of the funding, Sandé said: "This investment is going to be funding so many different genres of music, from punk to jazz, to dance music.
"It's going to be even more vibrant, even more full of creativity and talent."
Michelle Daurat, lead on Sunderland Music City, said it was "another amazing moment for Sunderland's music scene".
"Arts Council England's investment will help us provide a platform for the grassroots talent that Adele speaks so passionately about."