- Sade Adu is known for her soul, jazz and pop music which earned her four Grammy Awards including eight nominations
- Sade Adu made it to fame in the 1980s and has remained a popular figure in the music industry on the international scene
- The singer’s name recently resurfaced in the media after Mavin youngster Rema sampled her on his new single Baby (Is It a Crime)
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Helen Folasade Adu, famously known as Sade Adu, a British-Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress is the lead vocalist of the band Sade, which made it to the spotlight in the 1980s and 1990s, thrilling music lovers with a blend of soul, jazz and pop genres.
Sade Adu, was born in January 1959 in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state in Nigeria but was raised in England by her mother in Essex.
Sade Adu has four Grammy Awards to her name.
Credit: sadeaduSource: Instagram
While Sade was born in Oyo, her origin is traced to Ekiti state as her father is from Ikere-Ekiti.
Sade’s father Adebisi Adu was a Nigerian lecturer in economics while her mother Anne Hayes, was an English district nurse.
The singer’s parents met in London and exchanged marital vows in 1955 before relocating to Nigeria.
Sade’s parents’ union crashed when she was four years old, leading to her mother Hayes’ returning to England with Sade and her elder brother, Banji, where they stayed with their grandma and family in Essex.
Sade Adu’s music career
The singer was a prominent figure in the early eighties, dropping hit songs that resonated with not just her generation but generations to come.
Sade and her band released their debut album Diamond Life, in 1984 which was well received by music lovers. It was rated one of the era’s best-selling albums and debut by a British female vocalist.
Some of her popular projects include Stronger Than Pride released in 1988, Love Deluxe in 1992, Soldier of Love in 2010 and Lovers Rock 2000.
Aside from releasing soulful music, Sade’s talent and effort were equally recognised as she has four Grammy Awards as well as eight nominations to her name. She also holds the record of the first Nigerian-British singer to win a Grammy in 1986
Below is a hit song by Sade Adu released in 1984:
Rema samples Sade Adu
While Sade Adu may not be a popular name among the younger generation of music lovers, Nigerian singer Divine Ikubor also known as Rema’s new single, ‘Baby (Is It a Crime),’ made her name return to the media, with several younger Nigerians asking who she is.
Rema’s ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’ sampled Sade Adu’s classic ‘Is It a Crime,’ released in 1985 as the Mavin star combined Afrobeats with the Grammy Award winner’s melody.
Below is a snippet from Rema’s Baby (Is It a Crime):
Sade Adu returns in 2024 after six years
The Nigerian British singer made a return to the music scene in 2024 after being away for six years.
She released a song titled “Young Lion,” dedicated to her transgender son Izaak Theo Adu.
Izaak, who is Sade’s only child was born on July 21, 1996, to Bob Morgan, a Jamaican music producer.
Young Sade Adu rocking a hand weaved hairstyle.
Credit: sadeadu.Source: Instagram
The Sade Adu’s hairstyle
Aside from her musical prowess, Sade Adu is a fashion designer and used to be a part-time model before she ventured into music.
She is known for her fashion sense and style and there’s a popular hairstyle named after her, which has evolved over the years.
The popular Sade Adu hairstyle used to be popular among Nigerians before the introduction of wigs.
Below is a picture of Sade Adu showing one of her hairstyles:
Tems compared to Sade Adu
Meanwhile, TheTalk.NG reported that Afrobeats singer, producer and talent hunt expert Asha Gangali compared 2024 Grammy Award winner Tems to Sade Adu.
“Tems is a modern-day Sade Adu, period. Her win will open the doors for Afrobeats artists. It’s a great time to be a female Afrobeats artist,” Gangali said.
Recall that Tems won a Grammy Award at the 64th edition in Los Angeles, USA, with her song where she sampled veteran Nigerian singer Seyi Sodimu’s Love Me Jeje.
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at TheTalk.NG.
Source: TheTalk.NG
