Clown (Emeli Sandé song)

"Clown" is a song by the Scottish recording artist Emeli Sandé. It was released on 3 February 2013 as the fifth single from her first studio album, Our Version of Events (2012). "Clown" was written by Sandé, Shahid Khan and Grant Mitchell, and produced by Khan under his production name of Naughty Boy.

"Clown"
Single by Emeli Sandé
from the album Our Version of Events
B-side	"Kill the Boy"
Released	3 February 2013 (2013-02-03)
Genre	R&B soul
Length	3:41
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Emeli Sandé Shahid Khan Grant Mitchell
Producer(s)	Naughty Boy
Emeli Sandé singles chronology
"Beneath Your Beautiful" (2012) "Clown" (2013) "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" (2013)

Background

The song talks about Sandé's first experiences in the music industry, mainly reflecting her search to be signed by a music company and the encounters with several music business people. 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.^[1]

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Clown" was first released onto YouTube on 6 December 2012 with a total length of three minutes and forty-seven seconds.^[2] It was directed by WIZ.^[1] The video was made in the style of a silent film and shows Sandé being urged by a group of men, in military uniform, to sign a document to receive something in return.^[1] The music video takes inspiration from the 1928 silent film "Joan of Arc" as a woman is put on trial and urged by a group of men to recant her beliefs.

Promotion

Sandé performed "Clown" during the final of the ninth series of The X Factor on 9 December 2012,^[3] as well as appearing on The Voice of Holland in November 2012.^[4] Sandé also performed the song on The Graham Norton Show on 11 January 2013.

"Clown" debuted in Australia at No. 34 in 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.^[5]

Track listing

Digital EP^[6]

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

2013 Brit Awards

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

Credits and personnel

• Lead vocals – Emeli Sandé
• Lyrics – Emeli Sandé, Shahid Khan, Grant Mitchell
• Producers – Naughty Boy
• Piano – Grant Mitchell
• Label – Virgin Records

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2013–14) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 34 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 30 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 32 Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[10] 6 Germany (GfK)[11] 36 Ireland (IRMA)[12] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 25 Scotland (OCC)[14] 3 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[15] 29 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] 42 UK Singles (OCC)[17] 4

Year-end charts Chart (2013) Position UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[18] 45 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Platinum 600,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country	Release date	Format(s)	Label
United Kingdom[6]	3 February 2013	Digital EP	Virgin Records

O'G3NE version

"Clown"
Single by O'G3NE
from the album We Got This (Special Edition)
Released	23 May 2016
Recorded	2015
Genre	Pop
Length	3:47
Label	Cornelis Music
Songwriter(s)	Emeli Sandé Shahid Khan Grant Mitchell
O'G3NE singles chronology
"Take the Money and Run" (2016) "Clown" (2016) "Loved You First" (2016)

The Dutch three-piece girl group O'G3NE, released a cover version of the song in the Netherlands as a digital download on 23 May 2016 by Cornelis Music. The song peaked at number 64 on the Dutch Singles Chart. The song is included on the Special Edition of their third studio album, We Got This.

Track listing

Digital download

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Clown"	3:47

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20]	64

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Netherlands	23 May 2016[21]	Digital download CD	Cornelis Music