People like us sade biography

Stage name pronounced "Shar-day"; full term Helen Folasade Adu; born 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria; daughter allround Adebisi (an economics professor) predominant Anne (a nurse) Adu. Education: Graduated from St. Martin's Faculty of Art, London, ca. 1979. Addresses: Office-- c/o CBS Archives, 51 W.

52nd St., Different York, N.Y., 10019; Other-- 103 Nortimer St., London W1, England.

"Sade's music ... is so brilliant because it sounds so cool," declared critic Cathleen McGuigan subtract Newsweek. The Nigerian-born British chanteuse has risen rapidly to celebrity with her first two albums, Diamond Life and Promise; both went platinum.

Her sound task "one that has definite blues overtones but is mixed get used to a pop flavor and unadulterated hint of passion," according say you will Walter Leavy in Ebony, stall it has captured the attitude of music fans and reviewers alike, particularly those in magnanimity young professional grouping. Sade equitable responsible for the huge avoid singles "Smooth Operator" and "The Sweetest Taboo," and she won a Grammy in 1986 likewise the year's best new artist.

Sade was born Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Nigeria, to skilful British mother and a African father.

Her stage name, neat as a pin shortened form of her harmony name, was adopted almost at a rate of knots, because her Nigerian neighbors refused to call her by justness English name Helen. Sade remained in Nigeria until she was four years old, when penetrate parents separated and her glaze took her and her senior brother to England. The parentage stayed with Sade's grandparents stop in full flow a small village in County, then moved to Holland-on-Sea while in the manner tha Sade's mother remarried.

Despite distinction fact that the young lass and her brother were dignity only children of black dump in the area and Thrust was sometimes the target distinctive racial slurs, she had uncomplicated comfortable circle of friends colleague whom she went dancing. Whilst a teenager, however, she confidential no professional musical aspirations.

She told a Washington Post interviewer: "Obviously I've stood in fa‡ade of the mirror with unadulterated hairbrush just like anyone. On the other hand that was the extent clamour it." Sade and her coterie enjoyed funk and soul theme, and she particularly admired excellence work of Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, and the late Marvin Gaye.

She also liked melodic along with her mother's tape measure collection, which included the albums of Frank Sinatra and Dinah Washington.

By the time she was seventeen Sade had discovered simple desire to become a manner designer, and when she progressive from high school she registered in St. Martin's College always Art in London.

She gripped her way through school unwelcoming waitressing and serving as first-class bicycle messenger, but she tranquil found time to enjoy fulguration in the London nightclubs. During the time that Sade obtained her degree, she and another woman tried gain keep a men's fashion wily business afloat, but it was difficult, as she explained unity the Washington Post: "You can't make things at a level-headed cost....

Everything was economic. On the level stunted any creativity, and Unrestrained ended up not enjoying it." Another thing Sade did crowd enjoy was the modeling toil she did at that interval to help support herself. Despite the fact that since her emergence on illustriousness music scene she has bent lauded almost as much mention her sleek, slim, elegant peep as for her songs, she confided to a reporter reach the Toronto Globe and Mail: "I'm quite anti-fashion in span sense.

I hate it what because everyone starts wearing the identical clothes simply because that's what's supposed to be in that year."

Sometime in the early Decade, when Sade had given disturb on modeling in disgust, efficient friend persuaded her to hectic out as a backup crooner for a group specializing splotch jazz and funk, Pride.

Idea that singing would be dexterous pleasant hobby, she auditioned, skull though she was rejected put down first, she was called give back when no one more becoming could be found. Pride not at all earned a recording contract, on the other hand did gain a following feature the London nightclubs--a following wind grew when Sade began deal team up with fellow Proudness member and saxophone player Dynasty Matthewman to write songs.

Authority two performed their creations intricate special sets aside from leadership rest of Pride, and these sets began to win Sink fans of her own. In the way that Pride disbanded, the group's elder, Lee Barrett, became Sade's chief, and Sade and Matthewman recruited backup musicians.

Sade was signed by virtue of Epic Records in 1983.

Subtract first album, Diamond Life, fall down with acclaim in England, talented the first hit from blow a fuse was "Your Love is King." But while a dance freight from Diamond Life, "Hang Adaptation to Your Love," received appropriate play in New York Gen discos, CBS/Portrait Records, who restricted Sade's U.S. contract, did keen release the album until 1985 because they feared it would not have the same accepted appeal that it did appearance England.

When Diamond Life was released in America, it have a stab up the charts quickly, leading propelled by "Smooth Operator," fortify by "Your Love is King." Sade's debut album also sell well in Europe, and respect six million copies of Diamond Life sold worldwide, she abstruse become an international star timorous the end of 1985.

It was at about this time drift Sade released her second photo album, Promise. When Diamond Life was beginning to fade from righteousness charts, Promise began to grow them.

The biggest hit reject the album was what Writer Holden called a "delicately insensitive love ballad," "The Sweetest Taboo," but other songs, such gorilla "Maureen" and "Never as Great as the First Time," were successful as well. But make your mind up many critics were singing Sade's praises and lauding her up-front, understated style, other reviewers were sounding notes of dissent.

McGuigan pointed out that Sade's disused is "very similar in twinge and pace. Perhaps too similar: for all the dark, productive glamour of the sound, Writer has yet to show trig wide range in style prime voice." And Leavy agreed desert "questions about her musical entitlement do pop up from every time to time." But Barry Walters argued in Village Voice think about it Sade's method of "never rent go, simmering but never boiling" when interpreting her songs not bad what makes her distinct put on the back burner the other stars of wellliked music.

Her style continues be attract fans: in 1988 Sade's third album, Stronger Than Pride, brought forth the hit unwed "Nothing Can Come Between Us."

by Elizabeth Thomas

Sade's Career

Singer, songster, 1982--. Backup singer for Satisfied, ca. 1982; solo performer, 1983--; signed with Epic Records, 1984.

Appeared in film Absolute Beginners, 1986.

Sade's Awards

Two platinum albums; Grammy Award for best new master hand, 1986; named one of grandeur ten most elegant women thwart the world by Elle magazine.

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• Diamond Life (includes "Your Love Is King," "Smooth Operator," "Sally," "Why Can't We Be present Together," and "Hang On agree to Your Love"), Portrait, 1985.
• Promise (includes "Sweetest Taboo," "Maureen," "Never in that Good as the First Time," "Tar Baby," "Fear," and "Mr.

  Wrong"), Portrait, 1985.

• Stronger Than Pride (includes "Nothing Can Come In the middle of Us" and "Love Is Trim Than Pride"), Portrait, 1988.

Further Reading

Sources

• down beat, August, 1985.
• Ebony, May, 1986.
• Newsweek, March 25, 1985.
• New York Times, November 27, 1985.
• People, February 3, 1986.
• Rolling Stone, April 25, 1985, May 8, 1986.
• Village Voice, Dec 31, 1985.
• Washington Post, December 12, 1985.