Hailing from Nigeria, the daughter of an African father and English mother, singer Sade grew up in London and studied fashion in college. She began singing in groups in the early '80s and by the middle of the decade would be signed as a solo artist, although several members of her band Pride would remain to back her.

The group's debut album, Diamond Life, became a Top Ten smash upon its release in the UK in late '84, leading to it hitting Stateside in Janaury of the following year. With her exotic good looks and smoky vocals, the album duplicated its UK success in the US. Serving as the introduction was the initial single "Smooth Operator." Sophisticated and slightly jazz-inflected, the song sounded like little on pop radio at the time.

Debuting in the US Top 40 in March, "Smooth Operator" also was a hot in clubs and on adult contemporary radio (where it topped the charts on the latter). On the pop charts, "Smooth Operator" was a Top Ten hit by May and eventually peaked at #5, making Sade one of the breakthrough new acts of 1985 and paving the way for a string of hit albums and singles throughout the rest of the decade.

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