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GenrePop, Soul, Blues, R&B, Rock
Albums7
Songs90
AboutAdele (Real Name: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) is an English Soul / Jazz singer from West Norwood, in South London (born 5 May, 1988 in Tottenham, North London).

She signed to XL Recordings for the release of her second single and subsequent debut album. (Her debut single having been released as a 500 Limited Edition 7" on Pacemaker Recordings.)

She plays guitar and piano, though her music is characterized by her soulful voice which has been described as "somewhere between Dusty Springfield and Jill Scott." (In contrast to the hard South London accent of her spoken voice). She confesses to being obsessed with the themes of love lost and heartbreak which, along with teenage experiences and London life, predominate in her soul-tinged songs.

October 2007 saw her first headlining tour (in the UK), after previously touring with best friend Jack Peñate (on whose album Matinée she provides backing vocals for My Yvonne), as well supporting Jamie T, Raul Midon, Devendra Banhart and Amos Lee.

She lists Etta James, Jill Scott, Billy Bragg, Peggy Lee, Jeff Buckley, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Johnny Cash and The Cure amongst her influences, and is also a huge fan of Al Pacino.

Aliases: Adele Adkins

Variations: Adele, A Del, Adèle, Adele X, 愛黛兒

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins MBE (/əˈdɛl/; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. After graduating from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a recording contract with XL Recordings. In 2007, she received the Brit Awards Critics' Choice award and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success. It is certified eight times platinum in the UK, and three times platinum in the US. The album contains her first song, "Hometown Glory", written when she was 16, which is based on her home suburb of West Norwood in London. An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008, boosted her career in the US. At the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009, Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

Adele released her second studio album, 21, in 2011. The album was critically well received and surpassed the success of her debut, earning numerous awards in 2012, among them a record-tying six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year; two Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year; and three American Music Awards, including Favorite Pop/Rock Album. The album has been certified 17 times platinum in the UK, and is overall the fourth best-selling album in the nation. In the US, it has held the top position longer than any album since 1985, and is certified diamond. The best-selling album worldwide of 2011 and 2012, 21 has sold over 31 million copies. The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness Book of World Records. She was the first female artist to simultaneously have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the first woman in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three simultaneous top 10 singles as a lead artist, with "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone Like You", and "Set Fire to the Rain", all of which also topped the chart. 21 is the longest-running number one album by a female solo artist in the history of the UK and US Album Charts.

In 2012, Adele released "Skyfall", which she co-wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name. The song won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, as well as the Brit Award for British Single of the Year. After taking a three-year break, Adele released her third studio album, 25, in 2015. It became the year's best-selling album and broke first-week sales records in the UK and US. 25 was her second album to be certified diamond in the US and earned her five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and four Brit Awards, including British Album of the Year. The lead single, "Hello", became the first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release. Her third concert tour, Adele Live 2016, visited Europe, North America and Oceania, and concluded with finale concerts at Wembley Stadium in late June 2017.

In 2011, 2012, and 2016, Adele was named Artist of the Year by Billboard. At the 2012 and 2016 Ivor Novello Awards, Adele was named Songwriter of the Year by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In 2012, she was listed at number five on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music. Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2016. Her 2016–2017 tour, saw her break attendance records in a number of countries, including the UK, Australia, and the US. With sales of more than 120 million records, Adele is one of the world's best-selling music artists.

"As soon as I got a microphone in my hand, when I was about 14, I realised I wanted to do this," she says. "Most people don't like the way their voice sounds when it's recorded. I was just so excited by the whole thing that I wasn't bothered what it sounded like."

A fan of such diverse artists as Jill Scott, Etta James, Billy Bragg, Peggy Lee, Jeff Buckley and The Cure, Adele's soul-tinged songs of love's lost and memories made are set to resonate with all who hear them.

"I've got no problem explaining what my lyrics are about," ADELE says. "I really like poetry: I'm not very good at reading it, but I love writing it. Singers like Jill Scott and Karen Dalton are amazing; proper poets."

"My debut album is about being between 18 and 19; about love," she continues. "'Daydreamer' is about this boy I was in love with, like proper in love with. He was bi and I couldn't deal with that. All the things I wanted from my boyfriend, he was never going to be. I get really jealous anyway, so I couldn't fight with girls and boys. It's quite a sad album, [with songs about] being cheated on and not getting what you want".

Anchoring it all together is ADELE's incredible voice. As immediate as it is undeniable, its power is matched only by her Force 10 personality. "I've always liked being the centre of attention, yes," she laughs.

ADELE is from a resolutely un-musical family. "It all comes from impersonating The Spice Girls and Gabrielle," she cheerfully explains. "I did little concerts in my room for my mum and her friends. My mum's quite arty; she'd get all these lamps and shine them up to make one big spotlight. They'd all sit on the bed." Later, when her dad's best friend, a dance producer, rightly declared ADELE's voice 'wicked', he invited her to record a cover of 'Heart Of Glass'. The first time she got a microphone in her hand, she realised her calling.

Secondary school proved instructive in as much as it gave ADELE an outlet to "meet all the R&B kids" and "sit around the playground singing." But it was a pretty rough place and pursuing music there was something of a challenge, on account of the fact that ADELE wanted to sing and perform her songs but "the teacher was a bit rubbish. They gave me a really hard time, trying to bribe me, saying that if I wanted to sing I had to play clarinet to sing in the choir. So I left."

So ADELE upped sticks, signing up to The Brit School, the Selhurst college whose alumni number Amy Winehouse, members of The Feeling and Kate Nash. However she had her misgivings,

"If I hear someone's from stage school I'd think they were a dickhead, and I know it might make me sound like that. But it had free rehearsal rooms and free equipment and I was listing to music all day, every day for years. The music course was really wicked. There was no dancing or anything like that. No jazz hands."

During her second year, ADELE's resolve to be a singer was given a little extra boost – Shingai Shoniwa, the turbo-lunged vocalist with The Noisettes moved in next door. "She's an amazing singer. I used to hear her through the walls. I'd go round and we'd jam and stuff like that. Just hearing her and her music really made me want to be a writer and not just sing Destiny's Child songs. "

Despite being quick off the mark on MySpace – her friend set up a page for ADELE's music on the last day of 2004 – it wasn't until 2006 that labels started noticing her talent. "I'd hate people to think that I was a 'MySpace singer'," she says. "I've got no right to be that. I've got, like, 10,000 'friends', whereas Jack Peñate's got about one million,"

When XL called her in for a meeting, ADELE was nervous enough to take a chum with her. "I never, ever thought I'd get signed. The A&R guy emailed me and I was ignoring it, I didn't realise they [XL] did all these amazing names,"

Despite interest from plenty of other labels, the independent regarded for its one-off, defining acts (for rock band, see The White Stripes; for rapper, see Dizzee Rascal) proved the perfect match for her one-off talent, and XL will put out ADELE's stunning debut album "19" early next year. A single, the beautiful heartbreaker, 'Chasing Pavements' will precede it.

Before that comes ADELE's debut release on Jamie T's Pacemaker Recordings label, 'Hometown Glory' – a stunningly evocative picture of "all my fondest memories of London". 'Daydreamer', a remarkable ballad notable for lyrics like 'feeling up his girl like he'd never felt her figure before' and 'he could change the world with his hands behind his back' has already floored the audience on the prestigious 'Later With Jools Holland'.

"I don't know what's going to happen if my music career goes wrong," she laughs. "I haven't had a proper job yet."

Consider that one unlikely turn of events.

Adele began dating charity entrepreneur and Old Etonian Simon Konecki in the summer of 2011. In June 2012, Adele announced that she and Konecki were expecting a baby. Their son Angelo was born on 19 October 2012. On the topic of becoming a parent, Adele observed that she "felt like I was truly living. I had a purpose, where before I didn't".[206] Adele and Konecki brought a privacy case against a UK-based photo agency that published intrusive paparazzi images of their son taken during family outings in 2013. Lawyers working on their behalf accepted damages from the company in July 2014.[208] Adele has also stated that she has suffered from postnatal depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and panic attacks.

In early 2017, tabloids started speculating that Adele and Konecki had secretly married when they were spotted wearing matching rings on their ring fingers. During her acceptance speech at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Adele confirmed their marriage by calling Konecki her husband when thanking him. She subsequently clarified her marital status in March 2017, telling the audience at a concert in Brisbane, Australia, "I'm married now". Adele became a stay-at-home mother. In April 2019, Adele's representatives announced to the Associated Press that she and Konecki had separated after more than seven years together. Adele and Konecki will continue to raise their son together.

Politically she is a supporter of the Labour Party, stating in 2011 that she was a "Labour girl through and through". In 2015, Adele stated "I'm a feminist, I believe that everyone should be treated the same, including race and sexuality". Born in the North London district of Tottenham, Adele supports local football club Tottenham Hotspur. In 2017, Adele was ranked the richest musician under 30 years old in the UK and Ireland in the Sunday Times Rich List, which valued her wealth at £125 million. She was ranked the 19th richest musician overall. On the 2019 list she was valued at £150 million as the 22nd richest musician in the UK.

Supportive of the LGBT community, on 12 June 2016 an emotional Adele dedicated her show in Antwerp, Belgium to the victims of the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, earlier that day, adding "The LGBTQ community, they're like my soul mates since I was really young, so I'm very moved by it." In April 2018 it was widely reported that Adele had become an ordained minister in order to officiate at close friend comedian Alan Carr's wedding to Paul Drayton, something which Adele herself subsequently confirmed. The wedding, held in January 2018, took place in the garden of her house in Los Angeles.

Philanthropy

Adele has performed in numerous charity concerts throughout her career. In 2007 and 2008 she performed at the Little Noise Sessions held at London's Union Chapel, with proceeds from the concerts donated to Mencap which works with people with learning disabilities.[36] In July and November 2008, Adele performed at the Keep a Child Alive Black Ball in London and New York City respectively. On 17 September 2009 she performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, for the VH1 Divas event, a concert to raise money for the Save The Music Foundation charity. On 6 December, Adele opened with a 40-minute set at John Mayer's 2nd Annual Holiday Charity Revue held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2011, Adele gave a free concert for Pride London, a registered charity which arranges LGBT events in London. The same year, Adele took part in the UK charity telethon Comic Relief for Red Nose Day 2011, performing "Someone like You".

Adele has been a major contributor to MusiCares, a charity organisation founded by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for musicians in need. In February 2009, Adele performed at the 2009 MusiCares charity concert in Los Angeles. In 2011 and 2012, Adele donated autographed items for auctions to support MusiCares. Adele required all backstage visitors to the North American leg of her Adele Live tour to donate a minimum charitable contribution of US$20 for the UK charity SANDS, an organisation dedicated to "supporting anyone affected by the death of a baby and promoting research to reduce the loss of babies' lives".

On 15 June 2017, Adele attended a vigil in west London for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire where, keeping a low profile, she was only spotted by a small handful of fans. Four days later she appeared at Chelsea fire station and brought cakes for the firefighters. Station manager Ben King stated "She came in, came up to the mess and had a cup of tea with the watch and then she joined us for the minute's silence." Paying tribute to the victims at her first Wembley show on 28 June, Adele encouraged fans to donate money to help the victims of the blaze rather than waste the money on "overpriced wine".

Most Popular Songs (More)

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Adele - 21 [2011]
21
Adele
42 (+15)
4.4 / 5 (112)
Adele - 25 [2015]
25
Adele
245 (−192)
4.6 / 5 (31)
Adele - 30 [2021]
30
Adele
461 (−51)
4.7 / 5 (13)
Adele - Live At The Royal Albert Hall [2011]
Adele - 19 [2008]
19
Adele
4.6 / 5 (51)
Adele - iTunes Live From SoHo [2009]
Adele - iTunes Festival: London 2011 [2011]

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