It’s hard to believe that one of the smoothest voices to ever hit the stage, soulful singer Sade, could ever be nervous. After all, she’s performed before tens of thousands of sold-out crowds, sold millions of records and has a cult following of loyal fans.
But the 56-year-old singer was nervous. And still does get nervous. each time she hits the stage.
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“It was the chaos of getting ready psychologically to go out there,” Sade said in an interview about what it takes mentally to get ready for a show.
“I was so stressed. … That impression that you give onstage is what people go away with… I had to get it right.”
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As the leader of the veteran group, she and her band mates do have a lot to live up to: platinum-selling albums and singles such as “Sweetest Taboo,” “Is It A Crime,” and “Soldier of Love,” as well as Grammy-winning albums and a slew of successful tours.
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“You sort of feel like you’re a gladiator going out there because even though you know most of these people have come from a good place and they love your music and they come with a feeling of love, which is what you walk away with,” explains Sade. “It’s a bit like being thrown at the lions when you go out there because you have this sort of fear, even though it’s irrational, (that) you’re going to get torn apart, so you go out and you have to be good.”
When it comes to keeping healthy, Sade, sort of like her signature fashion style, keeps it simple.
“I do move a lot,” she admits. “I’m always doing stuff. I don’t lounge around much. I’m always moving and I’m always active. … I’ve tried things and I’ve tried exercise because I know it’s good and I’ve tried to do yoga, but my life just doesn’t seem to allow it.”
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The iconic songstress seems to have found a winning formula for handling her nerves and making timeless music. “We put our whole heart in and everything we’ve got. And it isn’t about making a hit album; it’s not about second-guessing and predicting what people want to hear or what they want to buy. There’s sort of integrity in that. We just get lost in the music.
