Sade has not released an original studio album since Soldier Of Love in 2010. While there’s no news of that changing anytime soon, Sade will soon release her first song since contributing to the A Wrinkle In Time and Widows soundtracks in 2018.
On Wednesday, September 4, Sade confirmed her participation in Transa, a compilation album by the non-profit Red Hot in an effort to support transgender awareness. Sade’s track is entitled “Young Lion,” and, according to Variety, is dedicated to her son, Izaak.
Izaak came out as a transgender man in 2016, and he publicly thanked Sade for “staying by my side” in September 2019.
Variety additionally relayed that Transa consists of three-and-a-half hours of music. The album “has over 100 contributing artists and is structured across eight chapters and 46 songs — a nod to the eight-stripe rainbow pride flag.” Transa will be released on November 22.
Featured artists include André 3000, Anajah, Anjimile, Lauren Auder, Lynn Avery, Babehoven, Arthur Baker, Julien Baker, Devendra Banhart, Julianna Barwick, Benét, Clairo, Fleet Foxes, Ezra Furman, Teddy Geiger, Perfume Genius, Adrianne Lenker, Hunter Schafer, Sam Smith, Jeff Tweedy, Faye Webster, Yaeji, and more still.
“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,” Dust Reid said, as per Variety. “We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. 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.”
Reid put together Transa with Massima Bell, beginning in 2021.