Singer-songwriter Emeli Sande has thanked fans for making her 'ridiculously ambitious dream a reality' as she was honoured in the Queen's birthday list .

The 30-year-old Next To Me musician from Alford, Aberdeenshire, will be made an MBE .

In a Twitter video, the star said: "What's important to me is that I can represent you and make you feel empowered. I want you to feel that nothing is impossible.

"Thank you so much for making this ridiculously ambitious dream a reality and I pray that I can play a part in making your wildest dreams come true."

Emeli Sande thanked fans for making her dream a reality (
Image:
Twitter/@emelisande)

Sande was born in Sunderland to Zambian father Joel Sande and English mother Diane Sande on March 10 1987, but moved to the north-east of Scotland when she was four.

Her rise to fame began when she featured on track Diamond Rings, by rapper Chipmunk, in 2009.

She went on to release solo singles Heaven and Read All About It, for which she gained her first number one, in 2011.

The musician was named as the Brit Awards Critics' Choice for 2012.

The singer-songwriter will be made an MBE (
Image:
Twitter/@emelisande)

Sande then found huge success with her debut album Our Version Of Events in 2012, which spent 10 non-consecutive weeks at number one and was the best-selling album of 2012.

When the 2012 Olympics kicked off in London, Sande sang Abide With Me at the opening ceremony.

She sang Read All About It (Part III) at the closing ceremony, while footage from the Games was shown.

Her song Next To Me won two Ivor Novello Awards for best song musically and lyrically and PRS for music most performed work in 2013.

The performer has also carried out charitable work to help those suffering from cancer and HIV/Aids, as well as being part of the 2014 Do They Know It's Christmas recording to raise funds for the Ebola crisis in west Africa.