Shade group. Adu Sade

After a long break, she returned at the end of 2000, unchanged, like the goddess of the Dark Continent, as if time had no power over either her talent or her magically irregular beauty. Years passed, styles changed, but her songs did not go out of fashion. The concept of fashion does not apply to Sade at all, as if she exists in a parallel stream of time. Over the course of her 16-year career, Sade recorded only five albums, each of which easily achieved multi-platinum status.

Her real name is Helen Folasade Adu, she was born in Nigeria in the family of a local teacher and a visiting English nurse. When she was 4 years old, her parents divorced, and her mother left with her daughter for England. After graduating from high school, Sade studied fashion at St. Martins. It is symptomatic that her first independent collection of men's clothing was shown in New York during a performance by the Spandau Ballet group, stars of the British "new wave". The young designer still had to say his word in this “wave” and prove to be much more durable than its heroes of that time.

When the singer made her debut, the British “new wave” with its dyed bangs, synthesizers and high-strung romanticism was on its way out. Sade brought a breath of jazz into it, and then it was perceived as a sip fresh air. Sade's gorgeous voice was reminiscent of her idols - Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, black soul of the 60s and 70s, although the singer herself never liked these comparisons, considering her music more primitive and calling it pure pop. Yes, this is pop, but aristocratic in spirit, which is very rare in the essentially plebeian world of plastic “stars”. This is music of languid bliss and deep sensuality, hot, like an evening in Morocco, and at the same time restrained, like the character of an English gentleman.

In fact, we know almost nothing about the man named Sade. After the second record, she disappeared from the public eye and the media, only to appear occasionally with new albums. In 1986 she went to Madrid and once said that “she prefers communicating with people to communicating with journalists.” And fans had to catch snippets of rumors: after “Stronger Than Pride” the singer returned to London, bought a house and equipped a studio in it; divorced her husband, Spanish director Carlos Scola, gave birth to a child with Jamaican reggae producer Bob Morgan, was arrested in Jamaica for speeding...

In 2005, Sade recorded the song Mum for the Voices For Darfur DVD, a benefit concert held on December 8, 2004 at the Royal Albert Hall in London to help raise awareness and funds to address the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

The band's sixth studio album, Soldier of Love, was released on February 8, 2010, and was the last album in ten years to feature new songs.

These are just elements of the unknown puzzle of Helen Adu's life. Maybe this is the secret of her enduring success - not to waste yourself on trifles, to protect and infuse your gift like precious wine...

Sade, you are my no ordinary love
rafo 01.04.2006 11:03:32

Sade is a classic, something that has already gone down in the history of world music, and will always find its listener, at any time. Sade you have gained immortality in your songs. And the songs are about the eternal, about love, and unusual... very unusual, extraordinary love.

Sade
likusia 17.11.2006 01:38:48

Yes, she is simply a goddess, This is a classic. There is not a single performer who could be even a little like her. This style, this unique charm. At the same time, she is one of the most talented and strange people.

Sade is an English singer of Nigerian origin who has been popular for more than a quarter of a century. Heartfelt lyrics and a sensual voice brought the girl well-deserved success. Sade compares favorably with all the pop queens and princesses, becoming over the years, like expensive wine, only better.

Singer Sade. Biography

Helen Folashade Adu was born on January 16, 1959 in the family of an economics teacher and a nurse in Nigeria. After the collapse of the marriage, the girl’s mother returned to Colchester (UK) with her children.

In the early 70s, Sade was interested in literature, fashion, dance and soul singers. The girl decided to connect her choice of profession with the fashion industry and in 1977 came to apply to St. Martin's College of Art in London for a fashion design course. After receiving her diploma, Sade and her friend decided to open a men's clothing tailoring shop. In addition, the young beauty worked part-time as a fashion model.

While still a student, Sade, at the request of her friends, agreed to be a temporary vocalist in their group, but, as it turned out, the girl was afraid of the stage, so she had to leave the group. For several years, Sade battled her fear by performing backing vocals in the funk band Pride.

Robert

All the girl’s creativity is closely connected with men. Sade the singer transferred all her emotions and experiences into music and songs.

Her first great love was Robert Elms. They met in London after one of the singer's performances. The young man was amazed and fascinated.

Robert supported the aspiring star and managed to persuade the owners of a major record label to come to the Pride concert. From this moment on, Sade's star rises. The girl was immediately offered to sign a contract, but she resisted persuasion for another year and a half, not wanting to leave the team that had become family. In the end, she agreed, but on the condition that some of the musicians (keyboardist, bassist and saxophonist) would go with her. In 1984, the group Sade was born.

All this time, Sade lived with Robert in a poor neighborhood, in a house without heating, but she was happy. However, due to the girl’s demand, constant concerts and recordings, the young people grew increasingly distant from each other and eventually broke up.

Carlos

In 1985, Sade appears in life new man: sultry Spaniard Carlos Scola. According to the singer, she fell in love with him as soon as she saw him. The feelings turned out to be mutual, and already in 1986 the girl moved to her lover in Madrid. And two years later he recorded his third disc - Stronger than pride.

Having lived with her lover for four years, Sade accepts the marriage proposal, although she does not consider herself created for marriage. Remembering the previous one bad experience, the girl tries to spend as much time as possible with Carlos. But the relationship still began to deteriorate, which is noticeable in the album Love Deluxe, released in 1992. Singer Sade received the most positive reviews for the album. However, if his creative career was going uphill, his personal life was sliding into the abyss. In 1995, the couple divorces, and Sade decides never to marry again.

Bean

Seeking peace and solitude, Sade (the singer) leaves London and moves to Jamaica. The girl meets Bob Morgan. Their romance was bright and temperamental. In 1996, the couple had a daughter, Ayla. But the singer can only dream of a peaceful life: it seems that failures are pursuing her. First there was a traffic accident, which led to an arrest warrant. The case dragged on for several years, but the situation was resolved peacefully. Then Sade found out about Bob's betrayal...

The singer and her child return to London. In 2000, a new album, Lovers Rock, was released. Singer Sade wrote songs for him herself, putting into them the experiences that tormented her.

Ian

And then the star disappeared from view. No public appearances, no performances, no new songs. As it turned out, the soul diva moved to Gloucestershire, where in 2006 she met her new, and so far last, love - chemist Ian Watts. After meeting him, she believed that it was still possible to live happily with one person.

After a ten-year break, in 2010, Sade (singer) recorded her sixth album, Soldier of love. The songs feel that the woman has finally found the desired happiness and peace.

Despite the fact that the singer does not indulge her fans with frequent interviews and tours, she still remains the deserved queen of soul. And the next album that she records, no matter how many years later, will definitely be in the top ranks of Billboard. Because it's talent.

The girl who was later given beautiful name Helen Folashade, born in Nigeria on January 16, 1959. Only the newborn's father, Bisi Adu, was native to this country, and her mother was a nurse from England, Anne Hayes. The parents met in London at one time, but then moved to West Africa, since it was here that Bisi was offered a professorship at the local university. Ann and Busy lived in harmony for some time after the birth of Sade, but difficult times quickly came to their family, and the couple decided to divorce. Then Sade was only 4 years old, her brother Bagni was a little older, and her mother decided to move them to London soon after the divorce. Apparently, the mother then accepted correct solution: In England, children had a wonderful childhood. Sade was interested in a lot of things - the girl liked fashion, dancing, horse riding and singing, which she mastered in local clubs.

Sade began to receive higher education at the famous College of Saint Martins, where she studied fashion design, and, it would seem, found a business that she would like to do in life.

Discography of Sade

After graduating from college, in 1977, Sade decided to open a tailoring shop for men's suits with her friend Joya Mellor. But this endeavor turned out to be not as promising as the friends initially thought, and did not bring them any income. Sade began working as a model. But in this field she was not destined to become a star, and she herself did not feel inclined to this activity.

Everything changed after she met Lee Barrett, manager of the Arriva group. Then Sade realized that she had a craving for music, and, moreover, the opportunity came up to prove herself in this matter. The girl was accepted into the group, she began writing her own songs, which brought her great pleasure. She contributed to the development of the team, but she also created for her own pleasure, creating texts and thinking through compositions. Then the singer Sade managed to be a backing vocalist for the group Pride, but this did not bring her outstanding success.

In 1982, Sade had the opportunity to form the band Sade with Paul Cook, Stuart Mathman and Paul Spencer Denman. Andrew Hale soon joined them. They immediately began releasing albums one after another, using Sade's early work. In 1984, the album Diamond Life appeared, which brought the group worldwide fame, in 1985 the album Promise was released, in 1988 - Stronger Than Pride. In 1985, she was also invited to play in the film Absolute Begginers, in which she played the role of a singer.

Sade moved a lot: first she ended up in Spain, in 1990 she settled in London, and in 1995 she went to Jamaica. A year before, in 1994, the best songs album The Best of Sade was recorded, after which the famous group broke up, but not for long. In 2000, they reunited and recorded another album, after which they did not announce themselves for a long time, until 2010. Then Sade released the album Soldier of Love.

Woman of mystery

Carier start

1959

Woman of mystery

Helen Folasade Adu is a woman of unearthly beauty, but in addition she is a talented author of music and lyrics, a skilled arranger and an experienced producer. She never tried to be a role model. She built her life, trying to act as her feelings suggested, honestly and sincerely. Always true to herself and never compromising her principles and her music, Sade is one of the brightest musical phenomena of our generation.

When Sade first appeared on the music scene in the mid-'80s, seemingly out of nowhere, attractive and exotic, playing soul music with hints of jazz, she was the epitome of restraint. Time passed, and she turned into the personification of femininity. But her music, extremely sensual and frank, always found a response in the hearts of listeners.

Ironically, Sade is both a goddess and a rebel. She refuted the popular belief that if nature has endowed someone with a pleasant appearance, then his mental abilities leave much to be desired. She didn't fit in established scheme a state of affairs where female performers merely served as eye candy for the men who ran the recording industry. She destroyed many stereotypes of the music business, taking away the ability of officials to control the creative process and entrusting it directly to the musicians. Sade and her band quickly became a completely autonomous team with unwavering leadership in every aspect of the recording process.

Sade has always strived to protect her privacy. She rarely gave interviews and believed that for those who wanted to listen, there was enough information about her and her life in her songs. This character trait of Sade greatly irritated the British media and the rumor machine often came into action.

Carier start

Sade was born in Ibadan, Nigeria on January 16th 1959 of the year. Her parents, Bisi Adu and Anne Hayes, met in London while her father was studying at the London School of Economics. The couple moved to West Africa when Bisi was offered a position as a university professor. Later, when the marriage was going through difficulties, Anne returned to England to live with her parents, taking four-year-old Sade and her older brother Banji.

In the early seventies, while living in Colchester, Essex, England, Sade learned to ride and owned a horse, which she kept while constantly working on Saturdays. She read widely, was interested in fashion, and mastered the art of dance and soul music at discos at nearby American air bases and at local clubs in Ilford and Canvey Island. Sade listened to soul singers such as Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye, performers who inimitably conveyed the full range of feelings of heartache and hope and had the amazing skill of creating from these experiences something durable and extraordinary. However, she never thought about singing herself.

IN 1977 Sade came to London to study a three-year course in fashion design at St. Martin's College of Art. Having received higher education, she and her friend Gioia Mellor, who to this day designs stage costumes for Sade, opened a small tailoring studio for men's clothing in London's Chalk Farm. But new business hardly developed. And she started working as a fashion model.

IN 1980 In the same year, Sade met Lee Barrett, manager of the Latin-soul group Ariva, who later became her manager. He famously asked Sade if she could sing and she found that she could. She joined the group Ariva despite her unsuccessful audition and began writing her own songs. She found greater pleasure in the process of songwriting, and during numerous moves, when she had to live without a certain future in the cabin of a tourist bus, it gave her strength.

IN 1981 1998, Sade moved into the top floor of an unused fire station in north London with a large record collection. Many of the compositions of the future debut album were written here.

The appearance of the group

IN 1982 year, as a member of the Latin-soul group Pride, Sade met Stuart Matthewman and Paul Spencer Denman. Together with Paul Cooke they organized separate group, called Sade, and began writing their own material. Andrew Hale later joined them, and Paul Cook left the group.

October 18 1983 Sade signed a contract with Epic Records. All subsequent albums of the group Sade - Diamond Life ( 1984 ), Promise ( 1985 ), Stronger Than Pride ( 1988 ), Love Deluxe ( 1992 ), The Best Of Sade ( 1994 ), Lovers Rock ( 2000 ), Lovers Live ( 2002 ) - were released at this recording studio.

IN 1985 In the same year, Sade starred in the film Absolute Beginners, directed by Julian Temple. She played singer Athene Duncannon, performing Killer Blow, which she co-wrote with Simon Booth of the soul-jazz group Working Week.

IN 1986 Sade moved to Madrid, Spain.

October 11 1989 At the ancient Vinuelas Castle in Madrid, Spain, Sade married Carlos Scola, a Spanish film director. But this marriage turned out to be unhappy and they soon began to live separately.

IN 1990 bought Sade big house Victorian style in North London. For a year and a half, she and her brother repaired and put it in order. She took Active participation in the process of renovation. Thanks to her imagination, the house turned into a stylish residence with a studio.

In the middle 1990 's Sade moved to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, where she lived with Bob Morgan, a Jamaican producer. 21 July 1996 year she gave birth to a daughter, Ila.

IN 1997 In Montego Bay, Jamaica, Sade was charged with driving in an accident and disobeying a police officer. She was detained and taken to the police station. She was then released on bail. A Jamaican court later issued an arrest warrant for Sade when she failed to appear in court to answer the charges. But she said she was unable to appear in court because her daughter was hospitalized. The medical report on the hospitalization of her daughter allowed the arrest warrant to be suspended.

IN 2005 Sade recorded the song Mum especially for the DVD Voices For Darfur with a recording of a charity concert held on December 8 2004 year at the Royal Albert Hall in London to help raise awareness and funds to address the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.

The present

Today Sade lives in his home in London. She protects her personal life more than anything else and prefers the company of old friends to a social lifestyle. She loves to drive fast in her old Mercedes and is constantly trying to quit smoking. And she still often goes to bed very late - a habit that has proven to be very tiring given the fact that she has a beautiful little daughter to care for.

Sade rarely records new albums and it can seem that each album is in some way her return after retirement. Of course, the significant time gaps between Sade's last albums might give rise to such a misconception. But the real reason is that Sade's albums are not products that appear with the precision of trains, they are individual elements of a single work that need both a plan and a basis. From album to album, the songs she wrote were refined, developed and moved further from jazz soul, and her professional skills became more and more perfect. The principle of her manner of dressing is to achieve with minimal means maximum effect- also applies to her music. “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it!”

Modern media - television, Internet video - have provided artists with the ideal means to promote their music around the globe. But Sade and her band are first and foremost a live band. “When we perform, I understand that people like this music. I can feel it." Throughout its history, Sade have always attracted a diverse, multicultural audience, captivated by the band's open-minded approach to music. “And this is the best we have achieved.”

For millions of fans around the world and for the numerous singers and musicians who express their gratitude to Sade, Sade Adu remains a constant source of inspiration.

New album 2010 - Soldier of Love

February 8 2010 year, after ten years of silence, Sade released her new album entitled Soldier of Love. Of course, the delight and joy of her fans knew no bounds. Although this album no longer contains such cult tunes as Smooth Operator or No Ordinary Love, it pleased with such amazing songs as Soldier of Love, The Moon And The Sky, Morning Bird, as well as other minor compositions.

The album's release was originally scheduled for 2009 , but in the end the disc was released only in February of the following year.

After the release of the album, a real turmoil began in the press and among the singer’s fans: Soldier of Love sold 501,000 copies in the United States in the first week, reaching the top of the American hit parade.

However, Sade herself admits that it is difficult for her to cope with her own popularity: “I am not comfortable with fame, so I try to avoid places that will attract a lot of attention to me.”

The first single, Soldier of Love, has already made history by debuting at No. 11 on the Urban Hot AC chart, the highest debut position in over a decade and the third-highest position in the chart's history. The single also debuted at No. 5 on the Smooth Jazz airplay chart, a compilation of airplay numbers on jazz radio stations, rising to No. 1 and becoming the very first song with vocals to reach the top spot on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown chart.

December 14 2009 An official presentation and listening party for the new album for the press and invited guests took place at Lincoln Center in New York.

It is noteworthy that Sade’s album takes only fourth place in the native British chart. However, music critics and producers assure that the return of the singer and her group can rightfully be called one of the most impressive successes of this year.

Goddess of the dark continent. Time has no power over either her talent or her magically irregular beauty. Years passed, styles changed, but her songs did not go out of fashion. The concept of fashion does not apply to Sade at all, as if she exists in a parallel stream of time. Over the course of her 16-year career, Sade recorded only five albums, each of which easily achieved multi-platinum status.

Helen FolaSade Adu was born on January 16, 1959 in the city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, which is located in the southwest of Nigeria, a country with a population less than Minsk (one and a half million) and a very hot climate , where the vast majority of people have very dark color skin and, like all blacks, runs well. Indeed, Helen has quite dark skin and African features are easily visible, but she is only half Nigerian. Her father, economics professor Adebisi Adu (a native Nigerian), met his future wife, nurse Anne Hayes (English), when he was invited to give a course of lectures in London. They fell in love, got married, and soon Anne gave birth to a son, who was named simply Banyi in Nigerian. Then they moved to live in Ibadan, where baby Helen was born (this time the name was clearly chosen by the mother). The neighborhood kids found it quite difficult to call the girl by her name. English name, so she made this task easier for them by highlighting her middle name, which at the everyday level was shortened to Sade.

Despite the initial ardent feelings for each other, her parents divorced as soon as Sade was 4 years old, and she flew to London with her mother and brother. They settled in the northern part of the city, where Anne's parents lived, and stayed with their grandparents until Anne remarried and moved her family to Holland-on-Sea, where her children were often subjected to racist attacks and teasing. from the local kids.

When Sade was growing up, she listened to a lot of music. Basically, she preferred soul. She spent days listening to records by Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. The young girl was most amazed by how a seemingly simple melody could express so many feelings, be it joy or sadness, hope or sadness. She was also amazed by how music can evoke the same feelings not only in the one who makes it, but also in those who listen to it. But then, despite the fact that music took up more and more space in Sade’s life, she didn’t even think about starting to sing herself. She studied fashion art at St. Martin's College, and I must say, quite successfully. Her debut took place there, in college, when she was asked to perform as a vocalist in a young start-up group. This “job” was temporary, Sade had to sing until her musician friends found a permanent singer. And of course, the young girl’s singing turned out to be so sensual and beautiful that they immediately abandoned the search for another participant. In addition, Sade showed herself as the author of lyrics and music for songs, so the question of final acceptance into the group disappeared by itself.

So, after the release of her debut album “Diamond Life” in 1984, which in addition to “Your Love is A King” also included such songs as “Smooth Operator” and “Hang On To Your Love”, Sade broke into the elite. Its popularity immediately acquired a truly global significance. As for the record, it spent 88 weeks on the UK chart and 81 weeks on the national American hit chart of Billboard magazine for almost two years, which is simply a resounding success for a newcomer! In 1984, Sade received a BPI Award for Best Album for “Diamond Life.” Moreover, Sade received a Grammy that year as Best New Artist! After Diamond Life, Sade released the album Promise, which was greeted with the same warmth on both sides of the Atlantic. Hits such as "Is It A Crime" and "Sweetest Taboo" become some of the most frequently played songs on radio in America ever. Like "Diamond Life", "Promise" becomes an ultra-successful album, achieving multi-platinum status in several countries.

In 1988, Sade and his band recorded a new album, the first after a three-year break. "Stronger Than Pride" gives us such classic hits as "Paradise", "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" and "Nothing Can Come Between Us". The release of the album is supported for the first time by a large-scale world concert tour. In addition to European countries, Sade gives concerts in Japan and Australia. Also, in 1988, Sade gave a series of big concerts in America for the first time.

Throughout her career, she always challenged her listener and was, as they say, frank. She immersed us in her world of languid, sensual music. She made us not only a fan of her work, but also her direct participant. Sade has always amazed us with the breadth of her talent. She has produced classic dance hits, songs for various films and love ballads that have become favorites on the radio charts and night bars. And at the same time, Sade remained a simple pop group. Sometimes their music slipped into RnB, sometimes into soul, but with all this, they never betrayed their principles.

In 1992, Sade released the album “Love Deluxe” - a clear, emotional and extremely honest product that met with the warmest criticism and the greatest commercial success of their career. In America, the record spent 90 weeks in the national hit parade, and the song "No Ordinary Love" was included in the soundtrack to the film "Indecent Proposal" starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore.

Two years later, in 1994, Sade released the collection “The Best Of Sade,” which included 16 of the group’s classic hits. And now, after eight years of silence and with forty million records sold under his belt, Sade gives us his new album “Lovers Rock”.

This one is extraordinary simple work takes us to the roots of the band's music back to the roots. From the playful, semi-acoustic “Sweetest Gift” to the challenging “All About Our Love” and the danceable “Slave Song”, we will hear Sade at her best. With this album, Sade continues to tell us her bittersweet stories. About how the heart can hurt and about how full and beautiful our life is. And musically, “Lovers Rock” leaves us confident that Sade still has something to surprise us with.

In fact, we know almost nothing about Sade's personal life. After the second record, she disappeared from the public eye and the media, only to appear occasionally with new albums. In 1986 she went to Madrid and once said that “she prefers communicating with people to communicating with journalists.” And fans had to catch snippets of rumors: after “Stronger Than Pride” the singer returned to London, bought a house and equipped a studio in it; divorced her husband, Spanish director Carlos Scola, gave birth to a child with Jamaican reggae producer Bob Morgan, and was arrested in Jamaica for speeding.

These are just elements of the unknown puzzle of Helen Adu's life. Perhaps this is the secret of her enduring success - not to waste herself on trifles, to protect and infuse her gift like precious wine.