Sade (singer)

Sade
CBE
Sade performing in 2011
Born
Helen Folasade Adu

(1959-01-16) 16 January 1959 (age 65)
Ibadan, British Nigeria
Alma materSaint Martin's School of Art
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1982–present
Spouses
Carlos Pliego
​
​
(m. 1989; div. 1995)​
Ian Watts
​
(m. 2007)​
Children1
Musical career
OriginEssex, England
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Labels
Member ofSade
Websitesade.com

Helen Folasade Adu CBE (Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú [fɔ̄láʃādé ādú]; born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade (/ˈʃɑːdeɪ/ SHAH-day or /ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY),[5][6][7] is a Nigerian-born British singer, known as the lead vocalist of her band Sade. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music.[8][9][10] Her success in the music industry was recognised with the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2002, and she was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours.[11]

Sade was born in Ibadan, British Nigeria, and was brought up in England from the age of four. She studied at Saint Martin's School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model before joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983.

A year later the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era's best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. In July 1985, Sade was among the performers at the Live Aid charity concert at Wembley Stadium, and the next year, she appeared in the film Absolute Beginners. The band released their third album (Stronger Than Pride) in 1988, and a fourth album (Love Deluxe) in 1992. The band went on hiatus in 1996 after the birth of Sade's child.

After eight years the band reunited in 1999 and released Lovers Rock in 2000. The album departed from the jazz-inspired inflections of their previous work, featuring mellower sounds. Ten years later the band released of Soldier of Love, their sixth studio album, and toured arenas worldwide.

Since the 2011 tour finished, they have released two songs, "Flower of the Universe" for the soundtrack of Disney's A Wrinkle in Time, and "The Big Unknown", part of the soundtrack of Steve McQueen's film Widows.[12][13][14]

  1. ^ Brannigan Lynch, Joseph (11 January 2010). "Sade Strikes Back! The '80s soul star unleashes a surge of dancing desert soldiers". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Sophisti-Pop Music Genre Overview". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Music's Top 40 Money Makers 2012". Billboard. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  4. ^ Thorn, Tracy (28 March 2018). "The queen of "quiet storm": Tracey Thorn on the return of Sade". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  5. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  6. ^ Olausson, Lena; Sangster, Catherine (2006). Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation. Oxford University Press. p. 338. ISBN 0-19-280710-2.
  7. ^ DSR (8 October 2011). "Meaning of the name Sade". YouTube. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. ^ Sandall, Robert (31 January 2010). "Sade Emerges from Her Own Country Retreat". The Sunday Times. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2015.(subscription required)
  9. ^ "The 100 Greatest Women In Music". VH1 News. Viacom International, Inc. 13 February 2012. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  10. ^ "20 Artists Reflect on the Enduring Inspiration of Sade". V Magazine. 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. ^ Eccles, Peter R. (26 January 1986). "Sade: A Pop Sensation From England". Hartford Courant. pp. G3. Retrieved 8 February 2023.(subscription required)
  12. ^ Izadi, Elahe (7 March 2018). "You can now listen to Sade's first new song in seven years, 'Flower of the Universe'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  13. ^ Blais-Billie, Braudie (9 November 2018). "Sade Shares New Song "The Big Unknown": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  14. ^ Arlidge, John (26 April 2015). "Rich List 2015: If you're worth £100 million, join our club". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 8 February 2023.(subscription required)