'Next To Me' songstress Emeli Sande has confessed that while she has never experienced racism personally, hearing about her parents' (pictured below) experience of it had a strong affect on her. 

She performed at the Unity: A Concert for Stephen Lawrence event in London last night (September 29) and described being involved in the event as an honour because it meant that she could stand against racism and also stand up for Lawrence, who was murdered back in 1993 because of the colour of his skin:

"My parents suffered from racism being a black man and a white woman in the '80s. It's always been part of our lives in some way. Luckily, we haven't suffered or it hasn't affected our lives too severely. But it's who I represent, it's who I am, and it's made me a much stronger person."

"To be asked to perform and to bring my music here was a big deal for me. The Lawrence family have been part of my life from a distance from when I was very young. To be here now feels really incredible."

Tweeting about the concert, which took place at the O2 Arena in London, Sande added: "What an honour to perform tonight and to know this wonderful human."