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A large crowd of people dances together with a DJ in the foreground.
Sade Night, a party dedicated to the R&B artist Sade and her band, celebrated its 10th anniversary with an event at the Sultan Room in Bushwick on Saturday.Credit...Amir Hamja for The New York Times

With ‘No Ordinary’ Fans, Sade Night Turns 10

Fans of all ages slow-danced and lip-synced deep into the night, united by their shared love for Sade, an R&B star who has expanded her audience through social media.

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Beneath the red lights of the Sultan Room in Bushwick on Saturday night, old and new fans of Sade swayed their hips, lip-synced to “No Ordinary Love” and closed their eyes in dance-floor bliss. Almost no phones were in sight.

“I don’t really go out that much but this is something I come out for,” said Lawrence Gonzalez, a reveler at the 10th anniversary of Sade Night, a party dedicated to the R&B star Sade and her namesake band. He wore a Sade “Soldier of Love” hoodie and a Sade cap, and a flash of his forearm revealed a Sade tattoo.

Before themed parties centered on a single artist, like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, were available each weekend in New York City, before Apple and Supreme had stores in Williamsburg, before Dimes Square existed, there was Sade Night.

“I’m obsessed with Sade,” said Mr. Gonzalez, who has attended the event since its inception in 2014 at the now-closed Kinfolk in Williamsburg. “Being around people that wear merch to things like this boosts my enthusiasm,” he added.

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Lawrence Gonzalez was in good company among other fans wearing Sade merchandise at the event.Credit...Amir Hamja for The New York Times
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Mr. Gonzalez has Sade’s name tattooed on his arm.Credit...Amir Hamja for The New York Times
ImageTwo people lean in to kiss each other while on a dance floor. Others dance around them, and a man in a tuxedo talks to a woman at the D.J. booth behind them.
Sade’s sultry music provided an intimate atmosphere for the partygoers. Credit...Amir Hamja for The New York Times

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