Sade to Release First Song in Years, Dedicated to Son, for Trans Awareness Benefit Album

You couldn't get away from her smooth vocals and the soft jazz stylings of her self-named band in the late '80s. In recent years, though, Sade seemed to have faded away... until now. The Nigerian-born singer is roaring back with "Young Lion," a single dedicated to her transgender son that she's recorded for a benefit album titled "Transa."

"The project, assembled by non-profit Red Hot, is intended to support transgender awareness and spotlights both trans and non-binary artists," Variety reported.

Sade's new single, Variety added, "is dedicated to Sade's son Izaak, who identifies as a transgender man."

The benefit album "features over three-and-a-half hours of music," Variety detailed, and "includes a mix of covers and exclusive tracks from Sam Smith, André 3000 and Jeff Tweedy."

"The project has over 100 contributing artists, and is structured across eight chapters and 46 songs – a nod to the eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. Its first single comes from longtime Prince collaborators Wendy & Lisa alongside Lauren Auder on a cover of 'I Would Die 4 U.'"

The Needle Drop detailed that "Trans, non-binary, and genderqueer artists who feature on the album include Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Laura Jane Grace, Ezra Furman, Hand Habits, claire rousay, More Eaze, Caroline Rose, Sam Smith, Anjimile, Joy Guidry, Lauren Auder, Lyra Pramuk, Cole Pulice, Niecy Blues, SOAK, Asher White, and Bloomsday."

Added The Needle Drop: "The long list of cis allies involved includes Adrianne Lenker, Low's Alan Sparhawk, Allison Russell, André 3000, Bartees Strange, Bill Callahan, Cassandra Jenkins, Christian Lee Hutson, Clairo, Dirty Projectors' Dave Longstreth, Devendra Banhart, Faye Webster, Fleet Foxes, Frankie Cosmos, Grouper, Helado Negro, Jeff Tweedy, Jlin, Julianna Barwick, Julie Byrne, Julien Baker, Kara Jackson, Kelela, L'Rain, Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, Mary Lattimore, Moor Mother, Moses Sumner, Perfume Genius, Sade's Sade Adu, Sharon van Etten, Wendy & Lisa, Yaeji, Yaya Bey, and many more."

Red Hot announced the project in a Sept. 4 Instagram post, noting that "Trans people have always existed, with many different names across time and culture, often as spiritual healers and leaders."

"As global systems continue to fail humanity and all life on Earth, the journey taken by trans people – and all peoples who have been oppressed – is a blueprint of possibility," the post added. "May this be a glimpse of our collective liberation, and the light inside all of us."

Red Hot's executive director, Dust Reid, explained the album's origins, saying that it was co-conceived with artist Massima Bell.

"We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts," Variety quoted Reid saying.

Added Reid: "Whether you identify as trans or non-binary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing."