Sade Adu

Helen Folasade Adu (listen;Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú [fɔ̄láʃādé ādú]; born 16 January 1959), known professionally as Sade (/ˈʃɑːdeɪ/ SHAH-day or /ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY) or Sade Adu, is a Nigerian-British singer-songwriter. She is the principal songwriter and lead vocalist of the band Sade. One of the most successful British female artists in history, she is often recognised as an influence on contemporary music. Her success in the music industry was recognised with the honour Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2002 New Year Honours, and she was made Commander in the 2017 Birthday Honours.

Sade was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and was brought up in England from the age of four. She studied at Saint Martin's School of Art in London and gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model before 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. A year later, the band released the album Diamond Life, which became one of the era's best-selling albums and the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist.