Adele is an artist that could convince you that your Lottery numbers were chosen personally. She possesses a powerful, confident voice and the ability to tell gripping tales through music.
Her intimate solo performance on Wembley’s empty stage sent out an unmistakable signal of intent – her new album 30 is about divorce – an issue she was more than prepared to address head on.
Her Life
Adele’s demo attracted London independent label XL Recordings. In January 2008 she released her debut album 19 – named for her age at that time). It became an instantaneous hit; appearances on Later With Jools Holland and Ellen DeGeneres led to downloads and CD sales surges; but Adele was given her biggest push when appearing on American late-night television shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Saturday Night Live gave Adele even greater exposure.
Adele mesmerised her audience when she performed the ballad ‘Someone Like You’ with such emotion that her audience was astounded. From there, Adele went on to create 21 – an ambitious, stylistically varied set that included earthy gospel and disco influences in Rolling in the Deep as well as heartbroken breakup anthem Someone Like You – becoming an international hit album despite Adele suffering vocal cord damage in 2011. However, she battled through it to become one of the top selling artists ever and won numerous awards along the way!
Her Music
Adele made her debut with the release of her first album 19 in 2008. Aptly named after her age at that time, the release garnered critical acclaim as she earned comparisons to Amy Winehouse (though many fans found Adele more relatable due to her slim frame and more down-to-earth persona).
Adele kept up her amazing run of success with 21 (2011), her second album. This set featured tracks like “Rolling in the Deep” and the heartbreaking breakup ballad “Someone Like You,” both charted singles from this record which sold well worldwide. Adele became best-selling record of 2011 both domestically and abroad.
Even in the face of such challenging material, such as her father’s death and divorce from Konecki, fans remain supportive. She continues to bring hope and optimism to a global music industry which has witnessed its value halve over ten years.
Her Awards
Adele is honored with numerous awards and nominations throughout her career, which attests to her enormous talent.
As a four-time winner of the Brit Award for Female Solo Artist and being honored with an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to music, she has garnered multiple Grammy awards as well as being nominated five times for Song of the Year prize.
Her second album, 21 was released in January 2011 and went on to hold the top position for 26 weeks worldwide – 24 in the US alone! Singles such as “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You” and “Set Fire to the Rain”, all reached #1 on Billboard charts as part of this album.
Additionally, she has received several honorary doctorates and been presented with the Bravo Otto award by German magazine Bravo for musicians. Additionally, she was nominated for both Shorty Awards (a series dedicated to social media influencers) and MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVA), an annual awards show hosted by Canadian music video channel MuchMusic.
Her Style
Adele stands out in the music business by writing with conviction about heartbreak, regret, and nostalgia – something few artists are capable of doing successfully. Her songs resonate across borders and cultures to connect to millions of souls of both old and new generations alike.
Adele embarked on her motherhood journey in 2012. Since then, she has opened up about her experiences with paparazzi harassment, postpartum depression, and more – strengthening the bond with fans even further.
Adele typically favors all-black fashion, yet has made notable exceptions with color and textures. At the 2017 Grammys she donned a green Valentino gown featuring subtle play between texture and silhouette; pairing this bold look with teased hair and her signature cat eye makeup made an impactful statement that she pulled off well.