New creative award 'honour' for singer-songwriter Emeli Sande Singer-songwriter Emeli Sande has been honoured with a new Scottish prize. Sande, who is from Alford in Aberdeenshire, has become the first person to receive the Aberdeenshire Creative Energy Award, at this year's Arts & Business Scotland Awards. The awards celebrate the most outstanding and creative partnerships between business and culture across the country as well as recognising key individuals who have made significant contributions to Scotland's culture over the last 12 months. Sande, 26, is one of the UK's best-selling musicians, with three number one singles and her debut album, Our Version Of Events, was the biggest selling album in the UK of 2012. She has won various awards including Best Female Solo Artist and British Album of the Year at the 2013 Brit Awards. Her father Joel attended the Arts & Business Scotland Awards held at Aberdeen's Music Hall on Wednesday night in place of his daughter, who is currently on tour in America. In a pre-recorded message she said: "It's a big honour to receive this Creative Energy Award. Thank you for all your support from the very beginning, I really appreciate it. The new award honours an individual or organisation for achieving exceptional success in their creative field and representing the "best of Aberdeenshire." Aberdeenshire Provost Jill Webster said: "Emeli Sande is very deserving of this award, the first of its kind from Aberdeenshire Council. She has achieved fame on an international level and her musical abilities recognised with numerous awards, because of her talents and the hard work she dedicated to honing those skills from a young age. There were more than 300 guests from business, the arts and media at the ceremony hosted by broadcaster Janice Forsyth. Fiona Hyslop, Culture Secretary, said: "Arts and Business Scotland are doing a wonderful job highlighting the value of arts and culture in our communities. The ceremony celebrates the tremendous local, national and international achievements and demonstrates the potential of arts and culture in influencing our communities, broadening the horizons of our young people and facilitating international dialogue.