British-Sudanese vocalist and songwriter Elmiene unveils his new project, For The Deported out now via Polydor Records / Def Jam Recordings.
The six-track project sees Elmiene embrace his Sudanese heritage both musically and lyrically. Listen HERE.
Following a seven-year separation, he reunited with various extended family members at a wedding in Egypt earlier this year. The ensuing conversations would be nothing short of eye-opening for the 23-year-old vocalist and in this mindset, For The Deportedcame to life.
About the project, Elmiene said, “Sudan is the reason I feel like I am as musical as I am and why I am so inclined to poetry. Sudan is a country with a lot of history, tragedy, emotions, and feelings. It has a really deep cultural history. Sudan is the reason I’m here right now”. He continues, “There’s a lot of deporting going on in our world. Whether it is Palestine, Sudan, Lebanon, or any other country, it is a real thing. I haven’t made a real comment or notion on it yet, and it just felt like a duty to my blood and role as an artist to make a statement. It all just feels right. If not now, then when?”
The opener For The Deported revolves around soft piano as he draws audiences into his vision of Sudan. Adopting the perspective of his original family home (now wrecked by war), his voice takes hold, “Hold me in your memories and never hide me, keep me free.” Elsewhere, he flexes his impressive range and fiery falsetto on “Open Light,” amplifying his sky-high delivery over a slick guitar-laden soundscape. Meanwhile, softly plucked acoustic guitar anchors “Avalon.” It culminates on a powerful refrain uplifted by another breath-taking and bold vocal performance.
The final track on the project, “Golden” is a full-circle moment for Elmiene, it’s his breakthrough debut-song that kickstarted his flourishing career. It made sense for the track, a story about the ‘Golden years of Sudan’, to be on the project and tie everything together.
For The Deported was produced by Dan Wilson, Jim-E Stack, Buddy Ross, Jamie Woon and John Fellner and follows recent project Anyway I Can and a sold-out show at the 3000 cap Troxy in London. Beyond amassing millions of streams, it incited widespread acclaim from BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, NPR Tiny Desk, and NME who proclaims, “’Anyway I Can’ is music with heart – and Elmiene knows exactly how to tug on it.”
ABOUT ELMIENE
Rising vocalist and songwriter, Elmiene channels creative power from the intersection of his Sudanese roots, British upbringing, and distinct musicality steeped in alternative R&B vibrancy, soulful vision, and international pop vitality. In 2023, he introduced his artistry on the global scale with the debut EL-MEAN EP followed by the Marking My Time EP, Marking My Time (Again) EP, Live from 525, and Anyway I Can EP. Simultaneously, he emerged as a force of nature, shining on collaborations with Stormzy, Leon Thomas, Sampha, Syd, and Dahi. The standout “Someday” amassed over 14 million Spotify streams followed by “Mad At Fire” with 7 million Spotify streams and “Crystal Tears” with 4 million Spotify streams. Christened an “Artist to Watch” by VEVO, MTV, Pandora, BBC 1Xtra, and Ticketmaster, he received a nomination for the Ivor Novello Rising Star Award and landed on the shortlist for the BRIT Awards 2025 Rising Star. He also earned acclaim from Complex UK, NME, The Line of Best Fit, and NPR as well as performing on “Tiny Desk” and COLORS. Throughout 2024, he reflected on his culture, childhood, and experience of immigrating to the UK. After seven years separated, he reunited with his extended family. Galvanized and inspired by conversations with relatives, he immersed himself in crafting his 2024 EP, For The Deported [Polydor / Def Jam Recordings]. Now, the project celebrates and explores his roots as it also tells a universal story of struggle and hope.
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