Sade is actually the name of a person and a band. Sade, the person, was born Helen Folasade Adu on January 16, 1959 in Nigeria. While at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, Sade joined a Latin funk group called 'Arriva' and then a Latin soul band called 'Pride' as a backup singer. She performed with the band for 3 years and started to get recognized for her performance of "Smooth Operator" during the set. This led to a solo record deal with Epic Records in 1983 and the creation of the band, Sade, along with 3 members of 'Pride': guitarist and saxophonist Stuart Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, and bassist Paul Spencer Denman. Sade has described herself as enjoying songwriting and singing soulful music, but never as the focus of impending fame or success. So, when asked to sign a record deal, it had to include 3 of her band mates. Sade is often referred to as the most successful British solo female artist with LP sales topping 50 million worldwide.
Sade's musical style has been described as "smoky faux-jazz." As Stephen Holden observed in the New York Times, "...in a pop climate obsessed with changing sounds and the language of the street, Sade has shown herself to be a pop classicist more interested in creating a durable body of work than in keeping up... (her) best songs find fresh images for expressing time-honored sentiments and placing them in settings that distill particular moods with a special intensity."
Sade released their debut LP Diamond Life in the UK which hit the Top 5 in the US and UK, and #1 in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Hits from Diamond Life included "Your Love Is King," "When Am I Going To Make A Living," "Smooth Operator," and "Hang On To Your Love."
Sade released their first single in the US - "Hang On To Your Love."
Sade released Promise in the UK where it hit #1 for 2 weeks (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3). Sade won a Brit Award for Best British Album (Diamond Life).
Sade released Stronger Than Pride in the US with the hits "Paradise," "Nothing Can Come Between Us," "Turn My Back On You," and "Love Is Stronger Than Pride." Sade hit the Top 40 with "Paradise" (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 1 week with "Paradise."
Sade released Love Deluxe in the US (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3) with the hits "No Ordinary Love," "Cherish The Day," "Kiss Of Life," and "Feel No Pain."
Sade released Love Deluxe in the UK. Sade performed "No Ordinary Love" and "Cherish The Day" on Saturday Night Live.
After the release of The Best Of Sade, Sade took time off from recording to focus on her marriage and child. Hale, Matthewman, and Denman released the side project LP Sweetback (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade made the news when she failed to pull her car over when asked by the police in Jamaica. She reportedly cursed the officers as she was loaded in to the squad car and taken to the station. Months later, an arrest warrant for Sade was issued after she failed to appear in court in Jamaica to face charges of dangerous driving and disobeying a police officer. Sade later stated that she was unable to appear in court due to the hospitalization of her child. Medical proof of her child's hospitalization allowed the arrest warrant to be "stayed."
Sade remained in trouble with authorities in Jamaica from charges stemming from last year of reckless driving - an arrest warrant was issued after she did not appear in court. Her lawyer stated that the singer had previous engagements outside of the country.
Sade released Lovers Rock (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3) with the singles "By Your Side" and "King Of Sorrow." The LP hit #1 in Poland and the Top 3 in the US.
Sade released Soldier Of Love (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3). Rolling Stone described the LP as "...sumptuously melancholy, exquisitely beautiful R&B, perfect for crying on a very expensive sofa." Sade topped the Billboard 200 LP chart, Top Digital Albums chart, and Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart with Soldier Of Lovewhich sold over 502,000 copies its first week of release in the US. Sade topped the LP charts in Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, Hungry, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and France with Soldier Of Love. Sade topped the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart with "Soldier Of Love."
Stronger Than PrideReleased: May, 1988 (UK) / June, 1988 (US) US: 3x Platinum Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 7 Rolling Stone: Tracks: "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" - "Paradise" - "Nothing Can Come Between Us" - "Haunt Me" - "Turn My Back On You" - "Keep Looking" - "Clean Heart" - "Give It Up" - "I Never Thought I'd See The Day" - "Siempre Hay Emperanza"
Love DeluxeReleased: October, 1992 (US) / November, 1992 (UK) US: 4x Platinum Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 3 Entertainment Weekly: B Tracks: "No Ordinary Love" - "Feel No Pain" - "I Couldn't Love You More" - "Like A Tattoo" - "Kiss Of Life" - "Cherish The Day" - "Pearls" - "Bullet Proof Soul" - "Mermaid"
Soldier Of LoveReleased: February, 2010 US: Platinum Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 1 Billboard #1: Top Digital Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly:A Tracks: "The Moon And The Sky" - "Solder Of Love" - "Morning Bird" - "Babyfather" - "Long Hard Road" - "Be That Easy" - "Bring Me Home" - "In Another Time" - "Skin" - "The Safest Place"
The Ultimate CollectionReleased: May, 2011 Tracks: "Your Love Is King" - "Smooth Operator" - "Hang On To Your Love" - "The Sweetest Taboo" - "Is It A Crime" - "Never As Good As The First Time" - "Jezebel" - "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" - "Paradise" - "Nothing Can Come Between Us" - "No Ordinary Love" - "Kiss Of Life" - "Feel No Pain" - "Bullet Proof Soul" - "Cherish The Day" - "Pearls" - "By Your Side" - "Immigrant" - "Flow" - "King Of Sorrow" - "The Sweetest Gift" - "Soldier Of Love" - "The Moon And The Sky" - "Babyfather" - "Still In Love WIth You" - "Love Is Found" - "I Would Never Have Guessed" - "The Moon And The Sky" (Remix featuring Jay-Z) - "By Your Side" (Neptunes Remix)
Note: Song title and position links lead you to the song's Top 40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top 40) and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often including track listings and sound samples).
Sade is actually the name of a person and a band. Sade, the person, was born Helen Folasade Adu on January 16, 1959 in Nigeria. While at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, Sade joined a Latin funk group called 'Arriva' and then a Latin soul band called 'Pride' as a backup singer. She performed with the band for 3 years and started to get recognized for her performance of "Smooth Operator" during the set. This led to a solo record deal with Epic Records in 1983 and the creation of the band, Sade, along with 3 members of 'Pride': guitarist and saxophonist Stuart Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, and bassist Paul Spencer Denman. Sade has described herself as enjoying songwriting and singing soulful music, but never as the focus of impending fame or success. So, when asked to sign a record deal, it had to include 3 of her band mates. Sade is often referred to as the most successful British solo female artist with LP sales topping 50 million worldwide.
# 45 Singles Artist of the Year
# 37 Singles Artist of the Year 
# 86 Singles Artist of the Year 
iTunes Amazon.mp3
- Entertainment Weekly:*** Tracks: "Smooth Operator" - "Your Love Is King" - "Hang On To Your Love" - "Frankie's First Affair" - "When Am I Going To Make A Living" - "Cherry Pie" - "Sally" - "I Will Be Your Friend" - "Why Can't We Live Together"
Tracks: "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" - "Paradise" - "Nothing Can Come Between Us" - "Haunt Me" - "Turn My Back On You" - "Keep Looking" - "Clean Heart" - "Give It Up" - "I Never Thought I'd See The Day" - "Siempre Hay Emperanza"
iTunes / Amazon.mp3
- Entertainment Weekly:B Tracks: "By Your Side" - "Flow" - "King Of Sorrow" - "Somebody Already Broke My Heart" - "All About Love" - "Slave Song" - "The Sweetest Gift" - "Every Word" - "Immigrant" - "Lovers Rock" - "It's Only Love That Gets You Through" Special Edition also includes live versions of: "The Sweetest Taboo" - "Smooth Operator" - "Nothing Can Come Between Us" - "No Ordinary Love"
