Helen Folasade Adu, OBE (Yoruba: Fọláṣadé Adú; born 16 January 1959), professionally known as Sade Adu or simply Sade (/ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY), is an English singer-songwriter, composer, arranger, and record producer. With Paul S. Denman, Andrew Hale, and Stuart Matthewman, she gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the English band Sade. Following a brief stint as a fashion designer of men's clothing and part-time model Adu began backup singing for the band Pride.