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| Sade performs at Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale |
I’m listening to Sade’s “Kiss of Life” as I write this entry. Since seeing Sade’s Soldier of Love World Tour Friday, July 15 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, I’ve been elevated, riding on a cloud of soulful goodness.
From watching her music videos on MTV as a kid in the ‘80s to playing the Love Deluxe CD over and over again while I studied in college, to listening to “Soldier of Love” the other day on a long drive, I’ve been a Sade Adu fan for a while. This was my first time seeing her live in concert.
The artist has a cross-section of fans. Concert attendees were diverse in ethnicity, age and nationality. I saw men and women in their early 20s, as well as men and women appearing to be in their 70s. Everyone seemed excited.
John Legend, the opening act in the U.S., began with his cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” He is definitely a debonair and charming performer and instrumentalist with a great voice. Favorites like, “Ordinary People,” “Save Room” and “Green Light” had the audience singing along.
During intermission, I got into a conversation with a couple looking to be in their late-40s. The male, originally from England, now lives with his wife in South Florida. In England, he said he had the opportunity to see Sade perform many times, and boasted her biggest fans are there. Though across the pond they’re privy to more performances since she resides there and in the U.S. we are graced by her presence about every 10 years, I told him her fan base here is pretty solid, too. He then asked me if I knew where Sade was born. Of course I knew; it’s Nigeria by the way (her father Nigerian, mother, British). Right after that exchange, it was time for her performance. We parted ways agreeing there’s enough Sade love to go around.
You could feel the excitement and energy in the air when she walked on stage. Sade thanked Fort Lauderdale for having her back. She told us that as a youth growing up in Holland-on-Sea in the UK, she dreamed of being in a place with warm, beautiful weather and was happy to be here.
“Your love is king,” she said to the crowd.
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| Sade souvenirs |
And, that’s the hit she began her performance with. Her singing voice live sounds just like, if not better, than her recorded voice. She’s the real deal. From “Soldier of Love” to classics like, “Smooth Operator,” Sade sang her heart out accompanied by an awesome band and creative set designs. She is simply gorgeous. The crowd was mesmerized.
I didn’t want the concert to end, even after Sade did an encore. In my opinion, nowadays there’s a limited number artists who create music that inspires, soothes and promotes the positivity of love. Sade's music does that.
