Historical clue formulations

• One-named singer of "Smooth Operator" — 2026-03-08
• One-named singer born in Nigeria — 2025-09-28
• "Smooth Operator" singer — 2024-09-11
• African-born headliner at London's Live Aid 1985 — 2024-08-03
• Nigerian-born pop singer — 2024-07-05
• First Nigerian-born singer to win a Grammy — 2023-12-09
• Name on the Marquis? — 2023-08-18
• "Soldier of Love" singer, 2009 — 2022-05-28
• "The Sweetest Taboo" singer, 1985 — 2022-05-18
• One-named singer with the album "Lovers Rock" — 2022-01-02
• "No Ordinary Love" singer — 2021-12-04
• Marquis de ___ — 2021-10-14
• One-named Nigerian Grammy winner — 2021-04-04
• One-named singer awarded a C.B.E. in 2017 — 2021-04-03
• One-named singer with Grammys in 1985 and 2010 — 2020-08-30
• One-named Grammy-winning singer — 2020-07-19
• Singer of "Smooth Operator" — 2020-02-18
• One-named hitmaker born in Nigeria — 2020-01-13
• Singer with the 1986 #1 album "Promise" — 2019-09-07
• Grammy-winning singer with the 2010 album "Soldier of Love" — 2019-08-23
• One-named Grammy winner for "Soldier of Love" — 2019-03-11
• One-named singer with the 1985 hit "Smooth Operator" — 2018-11-12
• "Smooth Operator" singer, 1985 — 2018-05-07
• "The Sweetest Taboo" singer, 1985 — 2018-04-29
• "Your Love Is King" singer, 1984 — 2018-03-30
• "Smooth Operator" singer, 1985 — 2018-03-15
• One-named singer with the 1985 hit "Smooth Operator" — 2016-09-19
• "The 120 Days of Sodom" author — 2016-06-03
• "The Sweetest Taboo" singer — 2016-01-11
• "Soldier of Love" singer, 2009 — 2015-08-02
• One-named Nigerian singer of "The Sweetest Taboo" — 2013-09-30
• Singer with the 1986 #1 album "Promise" — 2012-08-16
• Marat's counterpart in a Peter Weiss title — 2012-07-24
• Grammy winner born in Nigeria — 2012-07-15
• Marquis de ___ — 2011-07-11
• One-named Nigerian songstress — 2010-04-13
• "Philosophy in the Bedroom" author, 1795 — 2009-11-21
• Nigerian-born singing star — 2009-05-17
• Marquis de ___ — 2009-03-17
• One-named singer of "Smooth Operator" — 2008-11-17
• Nigerian-born singer with five Top 40 hits — 2008-10-12
• Marquis de ___ — 2008-08-05
• She had a 1993 hit with "No Ordinary Love" — 2008-05-30
• "Smooth Operator" singer — 2008-05-25
• One-named Grammy winner of 2001 — 2006-11-16
• Marquis de ___ — 2006-08-02
• "Smooth Operator" singer — 2005-11-20
• "Maureen" singer — 2005-07-22
• One-named singer — 2005-07-17
• "The Sweetest Taboo" singer — 2005-04-28