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Legendary UK group Sade, fronted by ethereal songstress Sade Adu, released their first song in six years at the end of October. The deeply personal track titled “Young Lion” identity for the British GRAMMY winner: it serves as a public apology to Izaak Theo Adu, Adu’s 28-year-old transgender son. “Young man, it’s so heavy for you / You must have felt lonely / I should have known / Shine like the sun / You have everything you need.”
The song now has visuals to pair with, including intimate home videos of Adu and Izaak.
The touching music video follows her son’s coming of age, a seemingly joyful adventure in the verdant lands of their mountainous English homeland. The videos showcase Izaak before his transition, as his mother sings to her, unaware of the struggle he is secretly facing. His cheerful exterior hides a disoriented soul, though Adu hopes this song will enlighten more parents to help their children overcome any identity struggles they may have. they may encounter.
Izaak himself also spoke about the importance of the single, sharing on Instagram, “May this song serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder that parents can learn, grow, and finally accepting my child for who he is. I hope that can bring a sense of comfort, validation and a feeling of being seen and understood.”
He’s also following in his mother’s footsteps and venturing into the music industry himself, sharing glimpses of himself in the studio as he celebrated his 28th birthday.
The song is included in the 46-song compilation album of the non-profit organization Red Hot TRAИƧAdedication to transgender visibility. A total of 100 artists — including André 3000, Sam Smith and many trans/non-binary artists — participated in the project, divided into eight chapters to represent one color on the pride flag.
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