Bossip just premiered a new music video by R&B chanteuse Sade, the "Smooth Operator" soulstress who has, until now, been M.I.A. from the mainstream music scene. The end of her decade-long hiatus comes just in time to kick off the tweens in elegant fashion with the single "Soldier of Love."
I've lost the use of my heart
But I'm still alive
Still looking for the life
The endless pool on the other side
The song, a wounded soldier's account of war in the name of love, artfully blends melancholy melodies with a steady percussion. Standing poise at the forefront of a desert backdrop, Sade leads a band of marching soldiers that could show R. Kelly a thing or two about stepping in the name of love. As the heartbroken heroine, Sade dons a glitter cowgirl outfit (and I'm not even mad at her) along with her signature slicked-back ponytail and those thin hoop earrings.
The simple, no frills-style of "Soldier of Love" recalls a time when music videos were more about storytelling through song and less about making it rain. (I love that Sade's riding a wild horse, not a mechanical bull. Ahem, Beyonce.) See the video for yourself, here.
Sade's album, Soldier of Love, drops early February, just in time to bring sultry back in the new year.
— SAARET E. YOSEPH
Saaret Yoseph is a writer and Assistant Editor at TheRoot.com. She manages and blogs for \"Their Eyes Were Watching …\"