Sade

When Sade was only 4 years old, her parents separated, and Sade moved with her mother to London's North End where she grew up. As a teenager Sade developed a soulful singing voice by listening to Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Nina Simone. She got some jobs singing around London, but to pay the bills she worked as a bike messenger and a waitress. Her educational focus turned to fashion design when she attended St. Martin's School of Art in London.

After her studies, Sade began to do some modeling and fashion designing. She even designed some of the outfits worn by Spandau Ballet during the group's first US tour. Spandau Ballet, a London all-male band, was one of the most successful groups of the '80s. However, Sade decided to pursue her passion for music rather than continue as a successful fashion designer. In 1980 Sade began writing songs and joined the Latin-soul group Ariva, and then joined Pride in 1982 before creating the group Sade in 1983.

The breakout hit single by Sade was "Smooth Operator," from the group's debut album Diamond Life. Released in 1985 in the US, the song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 as the first song by Sade to reach the Top Ten. The song, which was written by Sade and Ray Saint John from the band Pride, was about a high society man living a luxurious lifestyle. Lyrics include, "Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale," which inferred that the women in his life are also how he makes his money. Finishing lyrics say, "His heart is cold," meaning he had no love interest in his ladies; a real smooth operator in the sense.