Sade

One of the most successful British female musicians in UK pop history, Nigerian-born singer/songwriter Sade (pronounced SHAR-day) sold more than 110 million albums worldwide over the course of a three-decade career, despite only sporadic releases. Her career longevity was due entirely to her glossy, soulful delivery on such Top 10 hits as "Smooth Operator," "The Sweetest Taboo," "No Ordinary Love" and "Soldier of Love." Her signature sound hinged on an axis of classic American R&B, vocal jazz and precise but passionate pop instrumentation. Sade's career began in the early 1980s as a member of the Latin funk band Pride, with whom she performed an early version of "Operator." Her gorgeous voice and model-grade looks proved irresistible to record labels, which prompted her to sign with Epic for her debut album, Diamond Life (1984). The studio version of "Operator" became the beachhead for a lengthy string of hit singles and albums, which remained constant even as the duration between releases grew longer with the passing years. Even with a full decade between the release of her fifth album, Lovers Rock (2000) and its follow-up, Soldier of Love (2010), Sade's popularity remained undiminished, as evidenced by the latter LP's debut at the top of the Billboard 200. Sade's exceptional artistry and gift for blending pop, R&B and soul into her own memorable and mellifluous sound helped to preserve her status as one of the global pop world's most enduring talents.