Happy birthday to Helen Folasade Adu, better known as as Sade, born on January 16, 1959.
The Idaban, Nigeria born, UK-raised artist burst onto the music scene in the mid 80s to become a true pioneering force in the realm of smooth jazz and soul.
Sade's journey into the music industry began in the early 1980s when she formed the band "Sade" with fellow musicians Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman, and Andrew Hale. The band's 1984 debut album, Diamond Life (1984), instantly captivated audiences with its sultry and sophisticated sound. Sade's distinct vocals, coupled with the band's jazz-infused melodies, created a signature sound that resonated across genres. It won for her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, and the first single, “Smooth Operator,” was a revelation that set a path for more than a decade of chart dominance.
Happy birthday to Helen Folasade Adu, better known as as Sade, born on January 16, 1959.
The Idaban, Nigeria born, UK-raised artist burst onto the music scene in the mid 80s to become a true pioneering force in the realm of smooth jazz and soul.
Sade's journey into the music industry began in the early 1980s when she formed the band "Sade" with fellow musicians Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman, and Andrew Hale. The band's 1984 debut album, Diamond Life (1984), instantly captivated audiences with its sultry and sophisticated sound. Sade's distinct vocals, coupled with the band's jazz-infused melodies, created a signature sound that resonated across genres. It won for her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, and the first single, “Smooth Operator,” was a revelation that set a path for more than a decade of chart dominance.
Each Sade album over the next several years was a musical event. Promise (1985), Stronger Than Pride (1988), and Love Deluxe (1992) were all chart-toppers, and amazingly Sade was just as successful on the more fickle singles charts with sophisticated hits like "The Sweetest Taboo," “Your Love Is King” and "No Ordinary Love."
After an initial run of fame, Sade slowed down the recording output dramatically, issuing only two more albums, 2000’s Lovers Rock and 2010’s Soldier of Love. But she remains an absolute star and one of the most admired artists of her generation. Happy Birthday!