SADE   Singer

The Smooth Operator

A highly acclaimed soul singer who shot to fame in the early eighties with her smooth vocal talents.

Born Helen Folasade Adu on the 16th of January 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria. Sade's sultry jazz-tinged vocals made her one of the most successful international stars of the 80s. Of mixed Nigerian/English parentage, Sade grew up in Clacton, Essex, England, writing songs as a teenager. While an art student in London, she joined Arriva, where she met guitarist Ray St. John with whom she composed "Smooth Operator". From 1981-83, Sade fronted the funk band Pride, leaving the following year to form her own band with ex-Pride members Stewart Matthewman (saxophone), Andrew Hale (keyboards) and Paul Denman (bass). The line-up was completed by drummer Paul Cook. The group gained a following on the London club scene and in 1984 its first single, the lilting "Your Love Is King" was a UK Top 10 hit. The Robin Millar-produced Diamond Life broke her into the US market on the back of the Top 5 hit single "Smooth Operator", and went on to become one of the biggest-selling debut albums of the decade.

Sade received the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1985. The same year's Promise, with all songs written by group members, rose to the top of both the UK and US charts and generated further transatlantic hit singles, "The Sweetest Taboo" and "Never As Good As The First Time". Sade also contributed music to the soundtrack of Julien Temple's Absolute Beginners, a 1986 film in which she had a cameo role as Athene Duncannon. With ex-Wham! backing singer Leroy Osbourne added to the group, Sade began a world tour in 1988 to coincide with the release of her third album, from which "Paradise" headed the R&B chart in the USA. Sade took her time in delivering Love Deluxe. Although it was another mature work, and included two excellent hit singles in "No Ordinary Love" and "Feel No Pain", the fickle British public proved lukewarm. The album briefly dented the UK top 30, while in the USA it was a million-seller, peaking at number 3.

A greatest hits package was released in 1994, while the male members of the band recorded separately as Sweetback. In 1996, Sade gave birth to her first child. She made her long awaited return to the music scene in November 2000 with the single "By Your Side' and Lovers Rock, enjoying particular success on the US market. She was awarded an OBE in 2002"s New Year's Honours List.

Sade picture drawn by Jason Lee©

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