Sade Vocal Analysis 

Sade is one of those singers who serves you "atmosphere" in place of vocals. Her tone & vibe puts you in a mood that is independent of mood & vocal acrobatics.

A touch over 3 octaves. Don’t sleep on Sade. Her songs are surprisingly hard to sing.

sade has a beautiful contralto voice. its unique and cavernous.

Sade is legend!

Sade carries you places other singers don´t ... very melancholy power!

Sade is capable of more; she's reserved. I went to a couple of her concerts and she belted out a high note at the end of "IS It A Crime". Everyone was pleasantly shocked because they know that she can get down if she want; she's just reserved. I believe what your looking for is embellishments which Sade very rarely does. An example of singers who fully utilize embellishments are Patti Labelle, Stephanie Mills, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, etc.

Her voice is unique and I love it... Many people want to hear huge voices like Whitney Houston, Beyonce, not gonna hate their beautiful in their element. ... Sade voice reminds me of African Artist kadja nin... Soulful and unique... I love unique voices they tend to stand out and has that uniqueness..

I would love to hear an analysis on Lauren Hill 🙌🙌

I love the concept of where the voice "blossoms".

A good analysis, from a vocalese perspective. I find Sade to be mesmerizing. But I don't expect her to DO a lot vocally, because I like singers who don't necessarily present as technically impressive so much as they deliver a personal message with a song. Sade creates a mood and a persona when she performs that is fascinating. She's a minimalist, whose onstage choreography is similarly understated and reflective of that persona she creates, and I find the whole package impossible to not be enchanted by.

great analysis. Sade has style.

Sade is my favorite singer of all time, thanks to my mom and our road trips to Virginia in the summers, me I have to agree with everything you say, I have vibrato myself and she has the skill to really pull some off, if that makes sense (I’m not musically trained at all forgive me) and because of her style she doesn’t do what I KNOW her voice can do. Like she’s capable of so much more but, she holds back because of her style, and even when I’m singing along to her songs, I’ll sing parts in ways that I think fit better, and that I know she can do cause she’s done them in other songs in different parts. I hope this makes sense, I’m just a music lover with no training and talent, but with a love for Sade that transcends time 💛💛💛

The most unique about sade, is her phrasing, and the fact she doesn’t use VIBRATO like most every other singer .

Sade is contralto. You just have to listen to her speaking voice, it's pretty deep. I love her timbre and her style especially her 80s albums.

I really like Sade's voice. She definitely is a contralto. It's when you hear her speaking that you realize she is a contralto, very dark voice. I think that the brighter the voice is the higher the range, so singers like Sade, Cher, Tina Turner, Toni, Anita, etc they are contraltos because of the comfort they sing with in the low register.

I agree with most comments. SADE is a LEGEND. Music (for the most part) takes its listener to 'some place' in time. This is why music is so adoring, so wonderful. As majestic as Sarah Vaughan, Roberta Flack, and sooooo many others "voices" were, I don't enjoy their music because they 'Sang their faces off'. No. Their music takes me back to when I was a child and hearing my Mother singing in the kitchen while she prepared food..etc. So yes some people enjoy music for its melodic tones... but for most people we are not wondering what register someone is singing...etc.. No. For most people music brings with it a Nostalgic 'time warp' that takes us to wonderful places in our lives.

It's called subtlety, and it's refreshing. When Sade really belts it stands out because of her ingenious utilization of dynamics. Check out "Is It a Crime?" I get so tired of showboats like Christina Aguilera or Maria Carey who refuse to pick a note.

I think the thing about Sade, what makes her voice special is that brassy instrumental quality to it. It's as if she's almost imitating the sound of a soulful, pure and fragile alto sax. If an alto sax ever came to life as a beautiful exotic ingenue, it would be Sade.

Love Sade! Love this too! Thanks!

Would you please do an analysis of Mavis Staples? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks Dilessa for your videos! Can you do one of Lalah Hathaway?

Could you do a vocal analysis on JoJo?

Have you done Amy Winehouse?

Sade is the queen 😫😩😍

Can you do Prince?

So glad you're back with vocal analysis. Can you do with Christina Aguilera, Jojo, Tori Kelly, Chante Moore and Erykah Badu?

I love your content. I would love to hear and see you critique live performances from some of the artists you do vocal analysis on. Continue the great work!!!

I would love to hear you do Lianne La Havas !

Could you do a vocal analysis of Michael Jackson, perhaps comparing his childhood voice to his adult voice? And maybe speak on Janet Jackson too because her voice is criticized so often.

Great analysis, I agree.. TFS!

Hi. Can u do an analysis on India Arie, mary j. blige, faith evans, jill scott, kelly Rowland and solange, jene aiko if u haven't already? Thanx! 💕

She sounds very unique tho, maybe it is her look too. Anyway, she sure is beautiful.

Sade is the greatest seductive singer consistently. This is the best way to describe her voice which is a gift. She gets you into a mood not fictional but real

What a voice, Sade! Completely no vibrato! A speaking-talking oratory style that is speaking-singing rather. It has a sauntering, unusual flow. Such a *husky* *sultry* feathery voice. Totally distinct. Love the way she a holds long, held note. There's an undercurrent. Something is hidden; her sound is mysterious. Evoking something inside the listener.

This was a great analysis!

Love, Love, Love.... Watching ur vocal analysis ur notes are so On Point. Glad u already broke down my DiVa Trinity. Being Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston & Toni BraXton. Still patiently waiting for ur expertise on Patti LaBelle, Fantasia, Glady's Knight. Keith Sweat, Celine Doing, Johnny Gill, Jill Scott, Christina Aguilera. #MoreVoiceAnalysisPLZ.

Great analysis!

She has a soft edged voice, glossy on the edges. Almost 'whispering' aloud at times. And then she sometimes, one never knows when, can "sharpen" it when she will accentuate enunciate certain words (hone in on the vowel-consonant "choice" that she deploys).

But toni braxton is lower mezzo. She just lower her larynx

Your vocal analyses are so spot on! :-) When you were having the discussion about where singers placed their hooks and were looking for another singer’s comparable note placement to Sade’s E4, I was thinking to myself “hmmm maybe A4.” Then you said it, and I was like”ha! I get exactly what she is talking about!” Your commentaries are awesome!!

contraltos dont get the love sopranos do its not all about range and she can go lower than many women. i love tracy Chapman as well.

please do sarah vaughan!!!!

Can you do an analysis' on Stevie Wonder and Yma Sumac?

Would love to hear a analysis on the late gospel singer Daryl Coley

I love your videos

She belts in Is it A Crime

Hi Dileesa, I would love to hear a vocal analysis for TAMIA! #allthebest

I've been exploring Sade's music only recently, and I was looking for an analysis of her style from someone who can break it down for me. Really appreciated your take on Sade, even if the video was on the short side. I think you're right that, while Sade's vocals are great, they're not highly technical, and that's okay. Thanks for the video.

sade never intended to actually be a singer in the first place, she kinda just stumbled into it and happened to have a unique enough voice so i cut her some slack. She doesn’t do much vocally yes, but the little that she does sounds amazing and is rare. A heavy and dark yet light and bright voice like hers doesn’t come about every day, it’s rich yet soft, deep yet shallow. Her band wouldn’t sound as magical if they had a different singer because her voice isn’t used as a stand alone element, but as an instrument in itself.

Thanks for that but I have some questions and thoughts. Not everyone knows what you mean by "singing" - perhaps you could explain this term when you use it in your videos. Maybe Sade hasn't had voice training or hasn't had much and maybe that's why she doesn't do more with her voice. And maybe that's also why she does some of the other things you mentioned. I say this because i've only just started having training with a classical teacher and it has changed they way I approach singing completely. For instance, i'm now transitioning much higher than I used to which is giving me a stronger sound higher up. We are working a lot on my middle register. Maybe Sade never had the benefit of this. Also when you said she is throaty, you could demonstrate that and its alternative. Without these sorts of explanations, I think your video may not be well understood by people who aren't already trained or in training with good teachers. .... Once I listened to you do something with narrow vowels and I do love your classical voice.

LOVE your analysis of my pop singing 'idols'.... very expert, very interesting...thanx for posting!!!

Hello Dileesa. i love your videos. i would love to hear what think about celine Dion.

How about Chaka Khan

Do one for the Queen- Tina Turner

You should watch is it a crime live lover’s rock

I'm going to have to go and keep posting this until you finally do it one day but i need more information on Wé McDonald. Or Michel'le and people who sing like them. How do they have such a soft, baby talking voice but sing a such powerful voice?

can you please do chloe and halle!! they are a duo with really unique voices!

Thank You

I love me some Sade!!! She's my all-time favorite female singer! I used to think that Sade was a contralto but then as I've gotten older, I realized that she's more of a mezzo cuz her voice is a little too bright and feminine to be considered a contralto. I understand that contraltos can come in all shades and colors just like any other voice type but I just don't think that Sade would fit into the contralto vocal fach but that's just my opinion. Also, I heard Sade sing all the way up to like a G#5 in head voice in a vocal range video that somebody did a while just to let you know.

I'm so glad that you agree that she's a contralto. I've heard people try to make the case that she's a mezzo, and I see where they're coming from, but I really just think her timbre is much too androgynous throughout most of her range to consider her feminine enough to be a mezzo. Love her voice & music though! & Great video as always! I'd love to see a P!nk and Demi Lovato analysis some time in future by the way :)

Can you do an analysis on Carl Thomas? Would he be considered a Cavalier Baritone?

Check out song 'Maureen' Kinda under the radar amongst the other mega hit songs.

Thank you!!

Dileesa, i would love you hear your thoughts on Christine McVie's voice. It's very interesting, although she isn't very popular today.

Could you possibly do a vocal analysis on B.Slade/Tonèx? I think he's one of the greatest. I would love to hear your analysis on Luke James. Also, I know you did an analysis on Beyoncé wayyyy back in the day but I would love to hear your take on her voice since then.

Have you ever heard of the singer 'Lizz Wright?' Would you say she's a contralto as well?

hello. I have been digging thru your videos and didn't notice a vocal analysis of Chante Moore. I would love to hear your thoughts. also are you still doing truthful Tuesdays?

Lauryn Hill as well as Luther Vandross and Donny Hathaway

Tamela Mann Please! !

Can you do a video of both lahla Hathaway and Stephanie mills

If not already can you analysis MJ.

Sade has actually hit an E6 once, during a live performance.

I was just listening to Is It A Crime and wondered why Sade voice itself seemed very..... one tone-ish? I mean there isn't a lot of variety in her notes. Don't get me wrong I loved (and still do) her songs, but in terms of skill I wasn't completely sold on her actually being a very good singer. She seemed a little above average. I definitely left this video with a new appreciation for Sade (and I learned how to actually pronounce her name). Even if she wasn't capable of more, I'd still listen because the way she sings seems very human and not overly "pretty" or "stylized" like other artists not that that's a bad thing either though. This video made me realize Sade voice works with the instruments, her voice feels equal to everything else, and not like it's the main thing to focus on. Also, your voice is very beautiful ❤️.

do a vocal analysis on Jojo ! She is a beast !

I sing low like a man deep that's my comfortable range but when I go high it's not my best 😅 but then when I sing in opera I can sing high What would be my voice type? 🤔

These are so bingeable ! I'm on my 5th one lol

can you do KMichelle? When she first arrived in the music scene I loved her, and I've noticed her style has change or her voice... not really sure but something happened. Also, I think has been playing around with a touch of autotune (again not sure) but what do you think?

Since you did Sade you should do one on Vanessa Williams.

Can you pls do Lalah Hathaway

you are AMAZING!

It would be a bit much bit could you also individually do an analysis on the new group June's Diary or if it's too much then just Kristal and Ashly from the group

Hi Dileesa, could you do a vocal analysis on Darrel Walls

And Fantasia plz

Can you do an analysis on my voice?

Dileesa please please do a vocal analysis of Amy Winehouse...

Could you do one one on Miss Patti Labelle?

I love these analysis! Have you ever done Cher, patti labelle or Yolanda Adams?

Could you do one on Sohyang? Love your reviews btw!! I always learn so much lol

Is she a Contralto or just a Low placed Mezzo with a thick tone? She loses the androgynous sound as early as lower mid register & like you said she hasn't much weight to her voice either

very insightful

Usher please

Please do Diamond White

that's really informative on Sade, I like her voice. Dileesa, I was wondering if I could put in a suggestion for a vocal analysis on an artist. I would vote for Sam Cooke. :) if not its okay just a suggestion. thanks in any case I learn a lot from these videos.

Spot on

Can you PLEASE DO Usher Raymond! Thanks

I think you were showing restraint in your critique as to not infuriate her fans who subscribe to your channel (?) and held back on what you really think of Sade's singing, and if I'm right, I agree with what you didn't say. Never understood the fanfare surrounding her; she has no vocal range, and personally, vocal range (they don't have to be as expansive as Minnie Riperton or Mariah Carey) is a significant part of what appeals to me in a singer.

Have you done Fantasia's voice?

YASSSSSSS

I'd love to see tori Kelly and some male singers or anohni of Antony and the johnsons.

Do Tamar Braxton please