If there’s one fact that can be basically agreed upon in our fractured and ever-divided modern times, it’s that Adele is universally considered a treasure.
The singer is one of the few sure things in the music industry, raking in awards, breaking all kinds of records and establishing herself in a class all her own ever since the release of her debut single, “Hometown Glory,” back in 2008.
There was 19. Then there was 21. And then, 25. And this Friday (Oct. 15), she’s set to return from a six-year hiatus with her new song “Easy on Me,” a precursor to her fourth album, the aptly titled 30.
Ahead of her highly-anticipated release, we’ve rounded up all the reasons the iconic Adele is so universally adored, from her undeniable voice and talent to her unrivaled sense of humor and unique place in the pantheon of 21st century celebs.
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1
Her Powerful Voice
Let’s start with Adele’s voice. Often imitated but never duplicated, the singer possesses the kind of transcendent pipes that only come around once in a generation.
With every note, Adele’s voice carries the weight of the world, its soul-baring magic imbuing hits such as 2008’s “Chasing Pavements,” 2010’s “Rolling in the Deep” and 2015’s “Hello” with nostalgia, pain, heartbreak and remorse.
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2
Her Emotional Songwriting
Like many a true icon before her, Adele has turned her life experiences into a catalog of hit songs ever since the release of her debut album 19 back in 2008.
Often collaborating with the likes of Ryan Tedder, Paul Epworth, Greg Wells and others, the legend’s thoughtful lyricism has brought fans the world over to tears with its visceral depictions of heartache, betrayal, regret and pure joy.
The last time Adele captured such a universal sentiment was with the power of 25‘s lead single “Hello.” Released on Oct. 23, 2015, the song ushered in the era of her third album and became the fastest-selling digital single in U.S. history before debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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3
Her Multi-Generational Appeal
One of Adele’s greatest strengths is her uncanny ability to touch the hearts of fans of all ages. You’re just as likely to meet a millennial Adele fan as you are to find out their parents and grandparents love her, too!
Take “Hello” for example. The track, with its sepia-tinted visual and heart-rending vocal, earned its very own tribute video on Saturday Night Live back in 2015, when it produced a hilarious, yet all-too-real Thanksgiving miracle.
Fingers crossed her next body of work can provide the soundtrack for even more healing this holiday season…
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4
Her Sense of Humor
Other than her out-of-this-world voice, one thing most fans associate Adele with is her sense of humor. She can be bawdy, outrageous, flippant and a whole lot of self-deprecating, and often keeps audiences in stitches with her well-timed quips and quick-witted asides during shows.
The singer’s hilarious nature even scored her a rare hosting gig on Saturday Night Live in October 2020. And she didn’t even have an album to promote! In fact, H.E.R. served as musical guest that night, leaving Adele free to let her funny bone take center stage with sketches that lampooned The Bachelor, the COVID-19 pandemic, African tourism and more.
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5
Her Refusal to Play the Fame Game
Sometimes, it feels like Adele never actually meant to become famous. After all, part of the reason an Adele release is such a major moment is because she tends to lay low between albums, retreating back to a personal life that she keeps rather private.
Sure, occasionally there are paparazzi shots or the aforementioned SNL hosting gig, but stepping into the limelight usually comes on Adele’s terms alone.Yes, fans know her divorce from ex-husband Simon Konecki was finalized in 2021, but we won’t hear however much she wants us to know about the split until she puts it into her music.
For as open as she is, much of Adele’s life is shrouded in a mystique uncommon to modern celebrities. Take the intro of this recent profile in Vogue U.K., for example:
“Well, no one has seen her, have they? Mysteries abound. Will she be happy? Will she be heartbroken? Will she have gone very ‘LA’? Will she be thin? The thrum of a thousand tabloid headlines echo in my head and then – boom – she is before me, perched at a table amid the flora and fauna, as nervous, glamorous and rare-seeming as a snow leopard, with a tumble of caramel-coloured blow-dried hair and a burst of Byredo perfume, in Etro double patchwork-denim, Fashion Nova vest and white leather heels. A manicured hand is proffered, a firm but fluttery handshake bestowed, followed by the most comforting of salutations: ”Ello, I’m Adele.'”
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6
Her Body Positivity
While Adele made headlines in 2020 with a slimmed-down figure, she’s always been a great role model regarding body positivity and feeling good in your own skin at any size.
Here are just a few of the singer’s thoughts on size and rejecting impossible Hollywood beauty standards throughout her career:
The Daily Mail, 2009: “I have never been insecure, ever, about how I look, about what I want to do with myself. My mom told me to only ever do things for myself, not for others.”
Mirror U.K., 2012: “I think no matter what you look like, the key is to first of all be happy with yourself. And then you know if you want to try to improve things that you don’t like about yourself, then do it after you appreciate yourself.”
People, 2012: “Weight has nothing to do with my career. Even when I was signing a contract, most of the industry knew if anyone ever dared say lose weight to me, they wouldn’t be working with me.”
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7
Her Humility
Even when she’s being recognized as one of the most acclaimed artists in modern music, Adele has always stayed humble, and that was never more clearly on display that it was during the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Throughout the evening, 25 won six awards, but when the LP was announced as Album of the Year, the singer bowed in the face of Beyoncé, insisting Lemonade should’ve won instead.
“But I can’t possibly accept this award, and I’m very humble and very grateful and gracious, but the artist of my life is Beyoncé and this album to me, the Lemonade album is so monumental, Beyoncé,” she told a clearly tearful Queen Bey during her acceptance speech.
Backstage in the press room, Adele doubled down on her assertion that Lemonade deserved the win, saying, “I felt like it was her time to win. My view is, kind of, what the f–k does she have to do to win Album of the Year?”
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8
Her Rule-Breaking Nature
Never one to stay inside the lines, Adele tends to do what she wants, when she wants. A 2009 headline in her native U.K. saw her declaring, “I have all the say; I have power over everything I do” back when she was just 20 years old — and she’s carried that mentality through the decade-plus that’s followed.
Take her recent (and first-ever) Instagram Live, for example. While answering fan questions, snubbing Peppa Pig and revealing her new album will be about “divorce, babe, divorce,” the icon took it upon herself to leak a snippet of her upcoming single “Easy on Me” in the middle of the 40-minute livestream.
Her hilarious response after playing the first verse for over 112,000 fans on the Live? “Oop, me phone’s already buzzin’, I’m gonna get in trouble.”
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9
Her Most Timeless Hit
Yes, we’ve already mentioned Adele’s voice and her powerful songwriting talent. But “Someone Like You” deserves it own spot on this list, okay?
You already know you’re going to press play…