Sade Adu Quotations

I always said that if I could just find a guy who could chop wood and had a nice smile, it wouldn't bother me if he was a thug or an aristocrat, as long as he was a good guy. And I've ended up with an educated thug.

Once a song's out there, it's no longer mine. And that's the whole purpose of music: to belong to people.

I think you only really feel like an outsider if you've been an insider.

To be a mother you must be strong. Even if you don't feel it, you have to pretend.

People generally let me be me. People are aware that I'm not someone particularly begging for attention. They hold back a bit with me.

Whatever I'm doing, I'm in that moment and I'm doing it. The rest of the world's lost. If I'm cooking some food or making soup, I want it to be lovely. If not, what's the point of doing it?

I'm not anti-fashion, but I've always had a bit of a punk attitude. That's important, I think. I do my own thing.

When you play arenas you can create whatever you want. At a theater the height of the stage and the limitations of the theater can make you feel more separate from the audience.

I'm not over the top; I'm not wacky. I'm fairly understated, and that reflects in the way I sing.

I've never associated myself with other singers, certainly not female singers.

I have no technical training and am completely uneducated in music.

I'm uneasy with fame so I do my best to avoid places that will bring me more attention.

I just aspire to pick people up. That's my ambition.

I'm not shy or reclusive. I just spend my time with people rather than journalists.

When I was young, people were almost identified solely by the kind of music they liked. People fell into categories of who liked what.

All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!

I don't get easily bored. I'm not that kind of person.

London was a really multi-racial city ... It's incredible how comfortable people are with race there.

The anxiety I feel when I'm late is nothing like the anxiety I feel when I'm on time.

When I go into the studio, I completely detach. I let my emotions come out.

I can't see myself just endlessly singing the same songs over and over again.

There isn't a class structure in Nigeria; there's a tribal structure and prestige as far as money is concerned.

People are so used to having their lives filmed, they're not even conscious of having cameras around. I still have that sort of suspicion when a camera comes out. I view it as a thing to fear.

From being at art college, I've always hated people that have the gall to think that they're being incredibly different when they're doing something in a very acceptable way, something safe that they've seen someone else doing.

Most of my lyrics are little stories about my experiences or those of my friends.

If you're only making an album every 10 years, it better be good.

I've got absolutely no real perception, properly, of time.

I am fairly classless because it is very difficult to class someone who comes from a mixed marriage.

My father was a very difficult man.

My musical career was an accident.

Move in space with minimum waste and maximum joy.

I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I'm not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not a brand.

When you tour, you regain the music and the connection with the audience.

Radio interviews are really snappy and I'm just bad at that. I just close down.

My daughter and stepson are really broad-minded.

I always see myself as much more of a musician than a celebrity.

I don't like looking outrageous.

I look a lot like my father and his mother.

I love writing songs.

I am a reluctant celebrity, in some ways.

I've made sacrifices. I'm not anti-fashion but I've always had a bit of a punk attitude. That's important, I think. I do my own thing.

What could equal the bliss? / The thrill of the first kiss / It'll blow right to you / It's never as good as the first time.