Helen Folashade Adu, CBE (Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú [fɔ̄láʃādé ādú]; born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade Adu or simply Sade (/ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY), is a mixed race British Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress, known as the lead singer of her self-titled band.

Born in Ibadan, Nigeria and brought up in Essex, England, Sade gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model, prior to joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. After gaining attention as a performer, she formed the band Sade, and secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1983. The band then released the album Diamond Life a year later, which became one of the best selling albums of the era, and the best-selling debut ever by a British female vocalist. It also gained widespread critical acclaim and is largely considered one of the best albums of all-time.

Sade in her band Pride ca. 1982

After completing a three-year course in fashion design, and later modelling briefly, Sade began backup singing with British band Pride. During this time, she formed a songwriting partnership with Pride's guitarist/saxophonist Stuart Matthewman; together, backed by Pride's rhythm section, they began doing their own sets at Pride gigs. Her solo performances of the song "Smooth Operator" attracted the attention of record companies, and in 1983 Sade and Matthewman split from Pride, along with keyboardist Andrew Hale, bassist Paul Denman and drummer Paul Cook, to form the band Sade. By the time she performed her first show at London's Heaven nightclub, she had become so popular that 1,000 people were turned away at the door. In May 1983, Sade performed their first US show at the Danceteria nightclub in New York City. On 18 October 1983, Sade Adu signed with Epic Records, while the rest of the band signed in 1984.

"Smooth Operator" is a song by English band Sade from their debut studio album, Diamond Life (1984). It was released as the album's third single in the United Kingdom as a 7-inch single with "Spirit" as its B-side, and as a 12-inch maxi single with "Smooth Operator" and "Red Eye" on side A and "Spirit" on side B.

In the United States, "Smooth Operator" was released in February 1985, serving as the album's second US single. The song became Sade's first top-10 entry in the US, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in May 1985. It spent 13 weeks in the top 40, and also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks.

Ray St. John, who co-wrote "Smooth Operator" with Sade Adu, was previously a member of Adu's former band Pride, although he was not a member of the band Sade. The pair co-wrote the song in 1982 while still members of Pride, but did not get around to recording it because St. John left Pride shortly after Sade joined.

Smooth Operator - YouTube

https://youtu.be/OPgmQc3OkFs

“Perhaps it’s detrimental in a way. Somebody like Prince, for instance — I think he’s quite slapdash. He’s a bit like a bull—he goes in with his horns down and charges, but there’s a chance he’s going to hit the right spot. He produces a lot.”

“I think much of what he (Prince) does is quite trashy and don’t like it all, but every now and then he does something that is really genius. He’s very, very talented, but the most important thing about Prince is that he’s braver than a lot of other people.”

“I don’t think I’m as brave as that. I may be too proud and scared of losing face, and maybe that does somewhat stifle what we do. Maybe I look too closely at what we do, and it’s not necessary to be that concerned.”

– Sade, 1988

Sade Surprisingly Explain...music.com)

Sade quote about 1988 Prince

Diamond Life is a great cd to put on once every few years- it's aged (as has most of their catalogue) extremely well...

25 February 1984

Sade - Your Love Is King ... - YouTube

MotownSubdivision said:

Sade is one of the most mesmerizing gorgeous women to have ever been put on this planet and still looking fine as wine at 62. Diamond Life is a quintessential album, not just of the 80s but of all time. That group was a nice, mellow and finely orchestrated alternative to the louder, wilder, much more garish and flashy acts of their heyday and unlike many, still hold up today.

I always loved the 'quiet' sound that came with Sade, and other early 80s music(I know some of that is recording quality) but i love(d) it

OldFriends4Sale said:

Sade is timeless:

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/albert-watson-sade-nude

Spirit