Sade returns with New Song ‘Young Lion,’ paying tribute to her son

Renowned singer-songwriter Sade is set to release her first new song in years. The track, titled “Young Lion,” will be part of a benefit album called “TRAИƧA.” According to Variety Magazine, the album will be released on November 22. It aims to support transgender awareness and features trans and non-binary artists.

“Young Lion” is dedicated to Sade’s son Izaak, who identifies as a transgender man. This personal connection adds depth to Sade’s contribution to the project.The “TRAИƧA” album is a massive undertaking. It features over three-and-a-half hours of music across 46 songs. The project includes a mix of covers and exclusive tracks from various artists.

Notable contributors include:

• Sam Smith
• Allison Russell
• André 3000
• Moses Sumney
• Moor Mother
• Yaya Bey
• L’Rain
• Julien Baker
• Laura Jane Grace
• Yaeji
• Clairo
• Adrianne Lenker

The album’s first single is a cover of Prince’s iconic “I Would Die 4 U.” It features longtime Prince collaborators Wendy & Lisa alongside London-based singer Lauren Auder. This reimagining of the classic song takes on new meaning within the context of TRAИƧA’s transformational journey. According to the project’s organizers, the cover suggests we must let go of past selves and old ideas to actualize a new world.

The tracklist is divided into eight chapters:

1. Womb of the Soul
2. Survival
3. Dark Night
4. Awakening
5. Grief
6. Acceptance
7. Liberation
8. Reinvention

This structure mirrors the eight-stripe rainbow pride flag. Each chapter represents a different stage of a spiritual journey. Sade’s “Young Lion” appears in Chapter VII – Liberation.The project’s ambitious scope is evident in its diverse range of artists and musical styles. It blends established and emerging talents across genres.

Dust Reid, one of the project’s organizers, explained the album’s purpose. “We wanted to create a narrative that positions trans and non-binary people as leaders in our society,” Reid stated. For Sade fans, this release marks a significant moment. The artist hasn’t released an album since “Soldier of Love” in 2010. Her last musical contributions were soundtrack singles in 2018. Sade released ‘Flower of the Universe’ for Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” and ‘The Big Unknown’ for the neo-noir heist thriller “Widows,” starring Viola Davis and Liam Neeson.

The “TRAИƧA” album promises to be a unique and meaningful addition to Sade’s discography. It combines her artistry with an important social cause, showcasing her continued relevance in the music industry.

“TRAИƧA” Tracklisting

Chapter I: Womb Of The Soul

1. Midnight Moon Pool – by Mary Lattimore, Laraaji, MIZU & Jamal Shakeryan
2. You Don’t Know Me – Devendra Banhart, Blake Mills & Beverly Glenn-Copeland
3. How Sweet I Roamed – Jeff Tweedy & claire rousay
4. Same Train – Heart Shaped & Christian Lee Hutson

Chapter II: Survival

5. STAR – Ana Roxanne & Nsámbu Za Suékama
6. Please Tell Me – Lightning Bug
7. Make ’em Laugh – Benét & Faye Webster
8. Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying – Julien Baker & Calvin Lauber feat. SOAK & Quinn Christopherson
9. Rumblin’ – Soft Rōnin feat. Frankie Cosmos
10. Deeper Understanding – Hand Habits feat. Bill Callahan

Chapter III: Dark Night

11. Under the Shadow of Another Moon – Hunter Schafer & Cole Pulice
12. Blush – Grouper + Lucy Liyou
13. Is It Cold In The Water? – Moses Sumney
14. Know Who You Are At Every Age – Anajah & Gary Gunn
15. Is It Over Now? – Niecy Blues feat. Joy Guidry

Chapter IV: Awakening

16. Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For The Understanding – André 3000
17. Come Back Different – Nina Keith feat. Julie Byrne, Taryn Blake Miller
18. Song To The Siren – Rachika Nayar feat. Julianna Barwick & Cassandra Croft
19. Love Hymn – Arthur Baker feat. Pharoah Sanders
20 People Are Small / Rapture – L’Rain & Voices from the NYC Trans Oral History Project

Chapter V: Grief

21. We’ve Been Through So Much – Jlin & Moor Mother
22. My Name – Kara Jackson, Ahya Simone & Dave Longstreth
23 Point of Disgust – Perfume Genius & Alan Sparhawk
24. In Another Life – Lomelda & More Eaze
25. Pink Ponies – Teddy Geiger + Yaeji
26. A Survivor’s Guilt – Yaya Bey

Chapter VI – Acceptance

27. Just Last Night – Helado Negro & Eileen Myles
28. Feel So Different – Ezra Furman & Sharon Van Etten
29. Mourning Dove – Gia Margaret
30. Feel Better – Adrianne Lenker
31. Any Other Way – Allison Russell & Ahya Simone
32. Down Where The Valleys Are Low – Asher White, Eli Winter & Caroline Rose
33. TM – Fleet Foxes, Cole Pulice & Lynn Avery
34. Querube – AV María, SKY & Belina Rose 

Chapter VII – Liberation

35. Within Without – Green-House & Kelela
36. Aaron – Cassandra Jenkins, Bloomsday & Babehoven
36. Young Lion – Sade Adu
38. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – Moses Sumney, Lyra Pramuk & Sam Smith
39. Many Ways – CLARITY  feat. Clairo
40. I Feel Free – Sparkle Division feat. Pepper MaShay 

Chapter VIII – Reinvention

41. Get Free – Nico Georis & KB Brookins
42. Wolf Like Me – Bartees Strange, Anjimile & Kara Jackson
43. Surrender Your Gender – Laura Jane Grace feat. Lee Ranaldo, Jayne County, Kathi Wilcox, Jay Dee Daugherty & Am Taylor
44. I Would Die 4 U – Lauren Auder with Wendy & Lisa
45. Always – Time Wharp with Elizabeth & Beverly Glenn-Copeland
46. Ever New – Sam Smith & Beverly Glenn-Copeland