The reflective lyrics of Sade‘s latest song “Young Lion,” her first in six years, consider feelings of lingering regret and sorrow. The musician’s son, Izaac Adu, serves as the subject of the record as she acknowledges her stumble in understanding during the early stages of his gender transition. After allowing it to live on its own for a few weeks, Sade has added another tender layer to the record through the use of old home footage that appear in its accompanying music video.
The opening shot of the video features a long, winding road. What follows is four minutes of footage that reflects the journey both Sade and Izaac have been on. There are videos from nearly three decades ago, when the musician cradled him in her arms as a baby. Over the clips, Sade sings: “It’s been so heavy for you/You must have felt so alone/The anguish and pain/I should have known/With such a heavy burden/You had to carry all on your own/Forgive me son/I should have known.”
The video makes its way through all four seasons, capturing the mother and son duo in the rain, snow, sun, and sand. When she sings “see how far you’ve come,” the voyage feels more tangible.
“I think that a song where a parent apologizes for misunderstanding their child can hold immense significance for the trans community,” Izaak told Rolling Stone via email earlier this year. “For many individuals who are transgender, coming out can be met with misunderstanding and, at times, rejection. … I hope the song can offer a sense of comfort, validation, and a feeling of being seen and understood.”
After hearing the record at a listening session in July, Kaye Loggins, an electronic producer who performs as Time Wharp, shared: “Just tonally, lyrically, thematically, I think it’s so powerful. You never get that catharsis of your parent putting themselves where they were at the time [before you came out], realizing the mistakes and genuinely apologizing for them. I know personally that would mean a lot to me, so I’m biased, but it’s exceedingly rare to have that kind of understanding.”
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