Cinematic Expression: Sade Adu’s Best Music Videos

The consequences of silly games played are realized in this intriguing visual, which centers around a man with a gambling habit who’s willing to risk it all at the expense of his wife and child. Sinister forces and temptation are at play, which the unlucky patron succumbs to, resulting in a substantial monetary loss. A grand escape is attempted, only to be thwarted, leading to a suspenseful climax.

"The Sweetest Taboo"

Rain showers cascade off the glass window of Sade and her bandmates’ rehearsal space as she reflects on a romantic getaway with a love interest. Amid activities such as horseback riding and walks in the sunset, the songstress makes an unsettling discovery, which spells the beginning of the end of their union.

Convening with her bandmates for an evening jam session, Sade belts out an impassioned ballad as her erstwhile lover, first introduced in “The Sweetest Taboo,” races to her location in a taxicab. Along the ride, images of their tumultuous love affair are soundtracked by Sade’s expression of her yearning, playing through his mind as the realization of his missteps dawn on him. However, upon arrival, he discovers that there’s no turning back from his abusive misdeed, as the fear Adu previously predicted slowly sets in.

Sade plays a queen of the sea in search of a love lost in this ethereal clip directed by Sophie Muller and Adu. Visions from the love affair inspire Sade to search beyond the surface for her life partner, as she dons a wedding dress sown while below sea level. Shedding her tail for a pair of human legs, Sade emerges ashore, running through the city while throwing rice in a commencement of her eternal union with her love.

"Cherish The Day"

New York City serves as the backdrop of this visual, as Sade rocks out with a guitar atop a Manhattan skyscraper while images of urban life are captured on the street. Directed by Albert Watson and filmed in black-and-white, the passage of clouds overcasting the metropolis create a perfect counter to Sade’s breezy vocals, adding to the video’s cinematic feel.

In this visual, Sade portrays a single mother struggling to juggle her parental responsibilities with her aspirations as a singer. Directed by Sophie Muller and inspired by the French-Italian film Two Women, “King of Sorrow” finds Sade tapping into her acting skills like never before, giving longtime fans a glimpse at her more charismatic side.

Sade travels to desert lands for this epic short, which captures her preparing a brigade of choreographed soldiers for battle in the name of love. Representative of the songstess’ emotions “in the battle ground for life,” this Sophie Muller-directed flick helped introduce Sade’s keen focus on imagery to a new generation while welcoming more tenured fans back into her cinematic universe.