Sade

Helen Folasade Adu (born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade, is a Nigerian-born British singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the band Sade. Widely regarded as one of the most influential British female artists in contemporary music, her smooth, genre-defying sound has left a lasting imprint on soul, jazz, R&B, and pop.

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, Sade moved to England at the age of four and was raised in Essex. She studied fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art in London, initially gaining modest recognition as a designer and part-time model before turning her focus to music. In the early 1980s, she joined the band Pride, where her distinctive voice began attracting industry attention.

In 1983, she formed the band Sade and signed with Epic Records. Their debut album, Diamond Life (1984), became one of the best-selling albums of the decade and remains the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist. The band followed with Promise (1985), released the same year Sade performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium.

Sade appeared in the film Absolute Beginners (1986) before the band released Stronger Than Pride (1988) and Love Deluxe (1992), both cementing their global success. Following the birth of her child, the band entered a hiatus in 1996.

Reuniting in 1999, Sade released Lovers Rock (2000), a more minimalist and introspective departure from their earlier jazz-influenced sound. Their sixth studio album, Soldier of Love (2010), marked another triumphant return, followed by a worldwide arena tour.

Since 2011, Sade has released select material, including “Flower of the Universe” for Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, “The Big Unknown” for Steve McQueen’s Widows, and “Young Lion” for the 2024 Red Hot compilation TRAИƧA.

Her contributions to music have been formally recognised with an OBE in 2002 and promotion to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2017.