Singer Sade's achievement in selling more than 30 million records over three decades was honoured with an OBE in the New Year Honours List.

Her biggest hit to date is the enduring Your Love is King, and her debut album Diamond Life became a soundtrack to many a romantic evening during the 1980s.

Born in Nigeria, she moved to the UK at the age of four, settling in Colchester, Essex.

The singer - whose full name is Helen Folsesade Adu - studied fashion at St Martin's College in London, and went on to design for the likes of Spandau Ballet.

Solo

But music was a strong pull and influenced by such artists as Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, Sade joined a series of bands.

After singing with Arriva and Pride she launched a solo career and signed to Sony Records.

Her first single Your Love is King was released in 1984, showcasing her distinctive singing soft jazz style.

Sade went on to release the singles Smooth Operator from the Diamond Life album and Sweetest Taboo from her second long-player Promise.

Time out

Her success was also seen in the amount of albums she sold, including big sellers in the US.

But she did not relish the pressures of fame and took herself out of the pop arena through much of the 1990s.

She divided her time between Spain and Jamaica to spend quality time with her daughter Ila.

Now 43, Sade made a comeback in 2000 with the album Lover's Rock, which was hailed a success in both the UK and the US.

In April 2002, the Sunday Times newspaper estimated she had a wealth of �35m - equivalent to that of Victoria Beckham and her husband David.