Adele stands out as being a distinct voice among pop stars; she doesn’t show herself off on television shows and tours nonstop, nor release an abundance of music videos.
She’s a singer/songwriter with an amazing gift for crafting power ballads that sell in droves throughout a nation that loves them so passionately – no easy feat indeed!
How She Got Started
Adele stands out as an exceptional pop singer; she did not come from a talent show or music factory and did not experience many heartbreaks during her youth.
She stands out among singers by creating an organic bond between herself and her audience – something most other singers lack. That genuineness was demonstrated when her second album broke records for fastest sales ever in history, becoming a top seller both there and on US charts as well.
Adele sits in the green room awaiting an interview about her newly released album 21 — which outshone first-week sales by ‘N Sync, Britney Spears and Eminem to become one of the biggest hits of 2017 — being treated to lavish treatment from stylists and makeup artists – looking like an absolute diva but acting with total professionalism.
Her Early Years
Adele was born in London’s Borough of Haringey, an area notorious for social disadvantage at that time and still struggling today. She grew up as part of a single parent household where Penny provided plenty of musical encouragement.
By 2006, she began recording demos to post on MySpace – following in the footsteps of London-born Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. A producer from hip indie label XL Records heard her and recommended her to Jonathan Dickins of manager Jonathan Dickins Management Company as potential manager.
Dickins was an ideal choice for Adele, who takes the business side of her career extremely seriously. She takes control over every aspect of it as CEO of her international brand and never hesitates to demonstrate this with smart choices such as hiring producers like Mark Ronson and Jim Abbiss.
Her Debut Album
Nora and Nathan take a look back to Adele’s debut album, 19 (released in 2008), as its name refers to her age at which many of its songs were written; it soon went on to dominate charts worldwide.
It was the year’s best-selling album and took home the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Sales in the U.S. were further propelled by appearances on Saturday Night Live and release of single ‘Chasing Pavements,’ one of its most beloved cuts from the album.
Adele became known as a soul singer with an individual vocal tone and tasteful arrangements on 19 (her debut). Her phrasing is athletic without being overtly dramatic like Mariah Carey; instead her stresses and pauses help tell stories through songs about love and relationships. Adele adopted blue-eyed soul’s high emotional technology into lyrics with love-based themes.
Her Third Album
Adele’s third album, 25 (released after three years of silence between albums), takes her music to a whole new level. With emotionally candid compositions tackling romantic love and motherhood as well as musical innovation and an innovative vocal style that leaves listeners on edge of their seats, this record brings Adele to new heights of musical success.
Her voice extends far beyond the pyrotechnics of English folk clubs and high school musicals to conjure images of black gospel singers she grew up listening to; with stress marks and pauses that make her phrasing come alive. At once dignified and desperate in telling her tale – her emotions ebb and flow like an ocean’s tide; this woman has traveled her own Via Dolorosa through heartbreak and divorce, drunken despair, and finding true love that wasn’t enough.
Her Future
Adele is one of those rare pop stars you can listen to with your grandma; her powerful vocals and album 25 have left an indelible mark on society. If she remains active up until Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts her (which shouldn’t take too long!), Adele could easily go down as one of the biggest trend-setters of our era.
Adele will end her Las Vegas residency in November and recently announced that her next album will be accompanied by a global tour, giving fans the opportunity to relive Adele’s acclaimed live show once more and keeping Adele on people’s lips for some time after.