Top 35 Sade Adu Quotes

I am a reluctant celebrity, in some ways.

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

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

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

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

I’m always late.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

My musical career was an accident.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

My father was a very difficult man.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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 don’t like looking outrageous.

My daughter and stepson are really broad-minded.

I love writing songs.

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

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.