Sauda I. Olukayode

SANDRA I. OLUKAYODE, born Yolanda Gurate, daughter of the late Alphonso and Yvonne Guarte, was born on May 20, 1955 in Baltimore, Maryland. She departed this life on May 25, 2024.

Sauda, affectionately known as "Landy" received her education in the Baltimore City Public School System. As a child, she was very creative and artistic, leading to her musical career. Sauda began singing at the tender age of 16 while living in Somerset Projects, where she later met her husband, Kashaka Olukayode. The couple went  on to raise their family and expand their musical careers.

As an award winning singer and recording artist, Sauda took the DMV by storm with her powerful voice, often compared to Gladys Knight. Sauda attended the Baltimore Theatre Project in the early 1970's. Since then, Sauda has recorded  countless albums and performed before many crowds. She gained fame from her early days as the lead vocalist of the Soundtrack Band featuring the Kendells, alongside her husband Kashaka and lifelong friends, Muhammad and Paula. Sauda went on to start a band with her husband, Classic Revue Band, where she performed as the lead vocalist alongside her husband and cousin-in-law, Glenn Bydume. Sauda won countless awards, including the Randy Dennis Best Fest, where she completed against Toni Braxton, and the Budweiser Showdown of 1988, where she won a trip to the famous Apollo Theatre. In later years, Sauda and Kashaka started and managed a Karoke company called K-Jam Productions. The pair were well known in the DMV and Baltimore areas for their vocal talent in clubs, bars and events.

Although Sauda was a renowned singer, she took pride in her main profession as an amazing homemaker with a love for crafting, sewing and styling hair. She was a fashionista, dressing up any time she left home, always with jewelry to match.

To know Sauda was to love her! Her warm, down to earth, and loving personality allowed her to be both and entertainer on the stage and in her home. She loved to host, cook and bake for her family and friends. Sauda adored her nieces, nephews and grandchildren. She befriended many and raised others. As such, ahe will be truly missed.

Preceding her in death are: her mother, Yvonne Guarte; father, Alphonso Guarte; sisters, Yvonne Ames- Lovelace and Kenyatta Guarte; brothers-in-law, David Pollard and Earl Williams and daughter-in-law, Nicole Lunn.

Sauda leaves to cherish her memory: her husband and lifelong partner, Kashaka Olukayode; four children, Aisha Williams, Akua Smith, Aydine Olukayode and Atu Olukayode; son-in-law, Earl Smith; siblings, Vondessa Williams, Milton Ames, Valerie Ames, Ronald Ames, Irene Wright, Myra Lake, Byyuyu Manuel and Sabrina Ward; brother-in-law, Christopher Wright and sisters-in-law, Cheri Ames, Gloria Pollard and Doris Clifton. She is also survived by twelve grandchildren, Damali, Ajani, Omari, Deriyae, Jahi, Nia, Asharia, Ayannah, Darius, Elijah, Isaiah and Autumn; four great-grandchildren, god daughter, Kimberly; devoted lifelong friends, Marilyn, Jacqueline, Khadijah, Muhammad and Doreen in addition to a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

She was deeply loved and will be forever missed.