Adele is a singer with an emotive voice who doesn’t need fancy videos or stage shows to be successful; her talent lies solely within herself.
Standing alone on an unadorned stage at O2, she began singing; starting off with Hometown Glory and Chasing Pavements as the first two tracks she performed.
Her first album
Adele released 19 (referring to her age at that time), which reached number one on the British Album Chart and demonstrated her signature blend of fluid phrasing, tasteful arrangements and intimate emotional expression.
19 follows a teenage girl as she searches for love in all the wrong places. Although some lyrics could make this unsuitable for family-friendly radio, its overall message remains more in keeping with mainstream pop singers on either side of the Atlantic.
Adele is an inspiration. In spite of the music industry’s dramatic downturn, she remains at the top of her game thanks to a stellar team consisting of PRs and managers, producers, musicians who know exactly how to protect her integrity while satisfying public demand for fresh talent. Furthermore, it serves as proof that there’s still money to be made from recorded music if approached strategically.
Her second album
Adele quickly established herself on the music scene following the release of her debut album. With energetic live shows that won over audiences worldwide and music execs alike, she became a hit among her audiences and music industry executives alike.
Her sophomore album, 21 became her most successful effort yet and cemented her place as the go-to girl for heartbreak. She perfected the art of conveying grief and rage with equal parts ferocity and grace, earning comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Celine Dion as she sang with powerful falsetto vocals that have earned her comparisons across generations of singers.
Adele uses her third album, 30, as a platform to reflect upon the most essential relationship in her life: hers with herself. The record serves as a personal journey that coincides with a Saturn return – an event of significant upheaval – while daringly refusing compromise and bowing to judgment about its being too personal, and critics have praised it as one of her rawest and riskiest albums yet; also marking an artist coming of age.
Her third album
Adele established herself as an industry powerhouse with her second album, 21. Produced by contemporary producers Max Martin, Danger Mouse and Ryan Tedder; its lyrics addressed universal themes such as love and heartbreak in its lyrical content while her voice became so captivating for listeners to absorb it all in.
With 25, she made the shift towards more mature music, writing songs based on personal experiences that were more reflective of who she was than before. Additionally, she integrated more instruments and sang on more songs than before.
Pop is ever-evolving, yet 25 is an album that doesn’t embrace change as much as lament its inevitable passage of time. Its music captures a grown-up girl waking up regretfully and looking at her half-lived life with regret and guilt; though never to the extent of schoolmarm angriness; instead offering advice that encourages people to act in their best interests for themselves; providing an effective argument for conscious uncoupling that’s sure to put America’s marriage counselors to work!
Her fourth album
Adele’s fourth album, 30 (2021), was an international smash hit that set many sales records. Inspired by Adele’s divorce and motherhood experiences, its lyrics reflect deeply personal experiences such as divorce mediation or breastfeeding difficulties. For the first time ever in her career, jazz musician Erroll Garner also made his mark on this record album.
Adele uses her music to speak about the challenges associated with being female in an often male-dominated environment and of love’s joys and heartaches. She serves as a role model for young women while sending contradictory messages that often disappoint fans of hers.
One of her greatest assets is her candid nature, which may put some off but has won her the admiration of many. Never one for lies or deceptions, she always tells it like it is and has proven invaluable as both a singer and businesswoman; earning millions and owning several luxury properties as well as being generous contributor to charities.