Sade entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday with all four band members absent from the Los Angeles ceremony. In a statement released ahead of the event, the British soul group used the occasion to honor the late Mike Pela, the producer and engineer they called "the fifth Sade."
Singer Sade Adu, saxophonist and guitarist Stuart Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale and bassist Paul Spencer Denman signed the Nov. 10 statement together. They expressed regret at missing the celebration at the Peacock Theater, thanked longtime manager Roger Davies and shared their gratitude with the fans who voted for them and the listeners who made room for their music. The statement gave no reason for their absence.
"This is as much yours as ours Mike," the band wrote. Pela, who died in 2022, began working with Sade at London's Power Plant Studios in the 1980s. His name appears as engineer in the credits for "Smooth Operator," one of the recordings that introduced the band to listeners around the world. He went on to work with Sade for decades as an engineer, mixer and producer.
The Hall recognized all four musicians in its Performer category. Their 1984 debut, Diamond Life, featured "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love Is King," and the group won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1986. By 1992's Love Deluxe, Sade had broadened its sound with songs such as "No Ordinary Love." The Hall points to the band's blend of soul, jazz and R&B and names Lauryn Hill, Frank Ocean and Adele among the artists it influenced.
Saturday's ceremony opened with a surprise performance by U2, according to the Associated Press. Sade joined a 2026 Performer class that also included Oasis, Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan.
The recorded ceremony is scheduled to air on ABC on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with streaming on Disney+ beginning Wednesday, Dec. 9.
Watch Sade's official "Smooth Operator" music video
