Sade
Biography
Helen Folasade Adu, known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade, was born on January 16, 1959, in Ibadan, Nigeria. Her father was a Nigerian lecturer in economics, and her mother was an English district nurse. Following her parents' separation when she was four, her mother took her and her older brother to England. They lived with their grandparents near Colchester, Essex, before moving to Holland-on-Sea. In her teens, Sade developed an interest in singing and studied fashion design at London's Saint Martin's School of Art.
Career Beginnings and Band Formation
In the early 1980s, Sade began her music career singing backup for a Latin funk band called Pride. While with Pride, she formed a songwriting partnership with the band's guitarist and saxophonist, Stuart Matthewman. Along with keyboardist Andrew Hale, bassist Paul Denman, and drummer Paul Cook, they formed a splinter group that was also named Sade. After gaining a following, Sade and her bandmates signed with Epic Records in 1983.
Diamond Life and Rise to Fame
The band released their debut album, Diamond Life, on July 16, 1984. The album was a massive success, reaching number two on the UK Album Chart and selling over 1.2 million copies in the UK. It included the hit singles "Your Love Is King" and "Smooth Operator". Diamond Life won the Brit Award for Best British Album in 1985. The band followed up with Promise in 1985, which was also a commercial success, reaching number one in both the UK and the US. In 1986, the band won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Subsequent Albums and Hiatus
Sade released their third album, Stronger Than Pride, in 1988, followed by Love Deluxe in 1992. Love Deluxe featured the popular single "No Ordinary Love," which won a Grammy Award. After the release of Love Deluxe, the band went on an eight-year hiatus. During this time, Sade focused on her personal life, including the birth of her child in 1996.
Return to Music
Sade returned in 2000 with the album Lovers Rock. The album marked a departure from their earlier jazz-influenced sound, incorporating elements of soul, R&B, and reggae. It won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2002. After another long break, the band released Soldier of Love in 2010. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the US and won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Personal Life
Sade was married to Spanish film director Carlos Pliego from 1989 to 1995. In the late 1990s, she was in a relationship with Jamaican music producer Bob Morgan, with whom she had a child in 1996. Since 2007, she has been in a relationship with Ian Watts, a former Royal Marine. Sade is known for being private about her personal life.