Jump to content

Adele

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 80.2.179.52 (talk) at 03:46, 13 November 2008. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Adele

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988 in Enfield, North London),[1] known professionally as Adele, is a British[2] singer. Adele has described her musical style as "heartbroken soul".[3] She is the first recipient of the BRIT Awards Critics' Choice, which was given to artists who, at the time, had yet to release an album. She has noted American jazz and blues singers Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald as influences. She debuted at number one with her Mercury Prize-nominated debut album (19) on the UK album chart; the disc has since been certified platinum with sales of more than 500,000 copies.[4] After the album peaked at #54 on the Billboard 200 chart on 8 July, 2008 (though it did reach #36 on the magazine's "Top Heatseekers" chart).[5] Adele performed before an estimated audience of 14 million television viewers on Saturday Night Live, leading to a very strong showing on a couple of notable download charts, and leading the album to leap from #46 to #11 on the official chart.

Biography

Adele as a child would sing every song from The Spice Girls' first two albums to her mother.

Adele's first public singing performance was in a school presentation where she sang "Rise" by Gabrielle. To make her look like the singer, her mother made an eye patch with sequins, which she said was embarrassing.

Adele then claimed she was influenced from the music of Etta James and Dusty Springfield in her teens by accident, as she stumbled on the artists' CDs in HMV in the Classics section while looking for a new hair style. She only got to listen to those songs for the first time as she was clearing her bedroom[citation needed]. She graduated from The BRIT School for performing arts & technology in Croydon in May 2006, which was the same performing arts school attended by Amy Winehouse, Katie Melua, Leona Lewis and Kate Nash [6].

Adele credits the school with nurturing her talent [3]. A month later, she published two songs on the fourth issue of online arts publication, PlatformsMagazine.com.[7]

Career

Rise to popularity

During her teenage years she recorded demos and gave it to her friend, Lyndon. He eventually put it on MySpace and it became very successful there. Adele got a record deal through MySpace. When she got a phone call she couldn't believe it was real because the only record company she knew was Virgin Records. When a friend told her that it was a real record company, she signed.[8]

Since launching her MySpace page on Christmas Eve 2004, Adele became popular on the site which she used as a media focus and test point for songs. Since then, Adele has played in small UK gigs, and has opened for best friend Jack Peñate[9], as well as Jamie T, Raul Midón, Amos Lee and Devendra Banhart. Adele went on her first UK headlining tour in October 2007.

Adele's first single, "Hometown Glory", was released on 22 October, 2007 as a limited edition 7" vinyl on Jamie T's label, Pacemaker Recordings, with B-side "Best For Last". It sings the praises of Tottenham. "Hometown Glory" was featured as the "Single of the Week" on iTunes.

She then signed to independent music label, XL Recordings. In January 2008, Adele released her second single, "Chasing Pavements", hitting #2 for four weeks in the UK Chart and remaining in the Top 40 14 weeks after release.[10]

Adele performed "Daydreamer" on BBC Two's Later With Jools Holland, alongside Paul McCartney and Björk[11], and then on BBC1's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 7 December, 2007, singing "Chasing Pavements".

Weight

Duffy is fat.

19

On 4 February the album entered the British charts at number 1. Also by that week the single from the album Chasing Pavements had spent a third week at the number 2 position and another single from the album Hometown Glory had entered the charts at the number 32 position.[12]

On 19 March Adele signed a United States deal which involved a joint venture between Columbia Records and XL Recordings. That month also saw Adele embark on a short North American tour.[13] The following month she played the Coachella Festival[14]

On 16 June, 2008, Adele performed an exclusive set for Billboard Magazine. The set can be viewed here.

On 20 June, the album was released in the United States.[3] By mid-September, "Chasing Pavements" charted at the #60 position and was rising rapidly.[15]

Adele canceled planned 2008 concerts in the United States, Japan, and Germany citing "problems at home". In September, she played New York's Webster Hall[16] and made several television and radio appearances in that city.[17]

Adele appeared on the Xtra Factor on 25 October as a member of the panel and she later gave some advice to the contestants.[citation needed]

Saturday Night Live appearance

By October, her attempt to break America seemed to have failed, [18] so Adele sang on SNL. On the 18 October, 2008 episode, she was the musical guest with guest host Josh Brolin. Other special guests included Republican Vice President candidate Sarah Palin, actor Mark Wahlberg, Oliver Stone, former cast member Tina Fey, and Alec Baldwin[19]. Due to Palin's appearance, an estimated 14 million people watched the show, making it SNL's highest rated since 1994[20]. Adele performed "Chasing Pavements" and "Cold Shoulder". This appearance has been credited with a sharp rise in her popularity in the United States. The day following her appearance, 19 topped the iTunes charts and ranked #5 on Amazon.com, while "Chasing Pavements" rose into the Top 25[21]. 19 was still at the #2 position on iTunes on 22 October. By the week of 26 October the album was at the number 11 position on the Billboard's Album charts a jump of 35 places over the previous week.[22] Chasing Pavements was the top debut on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart for the week of 30 October residing at the number 82 position.[23]

Critical acclaim

On 10 December, 2007 Adele was awarded with the first Brit Awards Critics' Choice Award [11][24] and was nominated for a 2008 Mercury Prize award for her album, 19.[25] Her video for "Chasing Pavements" has received an MTV Video Awards nomination in the category of Best Choreography [26] as well as a 2008 Q Awards nomination in the category of Breakthrough Act [27] and Music of Black Origin nomination in the category of Best UK Female.[28]

In early 2008 Adele topped in a poll of music critics Adele topped BBC's new music talent list, which was compiled from the votes of 150 music critics.[9]

She also received praises from Paul Rees, editor of Q magazine, who said it was "refreshing to hear something different" after a thousand years of "identikit bands who want to sound like The Libertines".[29] Her music was described by the Richmond Times Dispatch music critic as "a perfect backdrop to a lazy afternoon in the coffee shop."[18]

Adele cherishes the praise she has received from Kanye West and Beyoncé. [3]

Covers

In September 2008, Adele released her version of "Many Shades of Black" by The Raconteurs on to her MySpace page. Adele covered the single at the groups request. Adele's cover appears on the B-Side of the single [30].

The fifth song to be released from 19 is "Make You Feel My Love", a Bob Dylan cover.

In September 2008, Adele was featured on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge Tour. As well as singing some of her own songs, she did a cover of Sam Sparro's "Black & Gold" which she said was her "favourite song of the year".

On 23 October, 2008 at the BBC Electric Proms event saluting award winning American composer Burt Bacharach, Adele joined Bacharach in singing his composition, "Baby It's You".[31]

Comparison with contemporaries

Adele's success is occurring simultaneously with several other British female soul singers. The British press has dubbed her a new Amy Winehouse. Also she has been linked to a third British Musical Invasion of the United States. Adele commented that while this phenomenon is unexpected she is "proud to be a part of it. I'm very pleased to be riding the wave". She has also been praised for "having a voice as strong as Mariah Carey's when she first debuted". [3][18]

Lyrical meaning

The album was written about a former boyfriend. The song "Chasing Pavements" refers to an incident that occurred at 6AM one day after a fight with that person during which Adele was running down the street alone. She thought to herself "What you're chasing is you're chasing an empty pavement." Adele finds it hard to sing "Melt My Heart to Stone" because it was written right after her breakup with the former boyfriend. Adele is alleged to have said that "Daydreamer" was about herself daydreaming about her having the relationship the former boyfriend was allegedly having with another boy.[3][32]

Future Plans

Adele announced on her MySpace page that in November she will appear on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and also will embark on her rescheduled 11-city United States tour in January 2009.[33]

Adele plans to begin writing her next album in November. An unnamed person has been chosen to produce the album. Adele would like to duet with Ray LaMontagne and the album's producer.[30] She intends to write write her next album in New York because it would give her the inspiration she is lacking at home where she is comfortable.[34] Towards that end she is looking for an apartment in Brooklyn. Adele had hoped that the album would be upbeat but because of the personal issues discussed below she is writing lyrics like "wish this happened, wish that happened"[35].

Adele is scheduled to perform at a Christmas show at The Roundhouse in London on 20 December.[36]

Personal life

As of November 2008 Adele had just moved to Notting Hill after leaving her mothers house a move that prompted her to give up drinking. According to the singer her heavy drinking “was clouding my judgment and making me make all the wrong decisions in my personal life. You want a beer to relax after a show then that turns into nine". Adele has never used drugs and vows never to do so in the future.[35]

Also in November a four month relationship with a boyfriend ended when he had difficulties with the effects of her fame.[37][35].

Adele is a UK dress size 14-16. She was quoted as saying "I'm really mouthy about not having the Hollywood look. Everyone asks me 'Why don't you feel pressured to get the Hollywood look?' and I'm like, "Because I don't." "I mean, I quite like my eyes and my lips. I don't like my double chin or my gut, but I don't not like them enough to do something about it".[37]

Adele has said she is fearful that her personal life may hurt her future music plans.[38]

Imitation

Comedian Katy Brand impersonated Adele in the first scene of the first show of her second series. It featured Adele sat on a stool in a garden singing and then talking quickly in a cockney accent referring to many things related to London such as Eastenders. It tried to show how Adele would sing beautifully and then talk rather commonly.[citation needed]

Discography

Main article: Adele discography

Studio albums

Year Title Chart peak positions Sales, certifications and notes
UK IRL NL NOR WO BEL SWE US DEN GER SW FRA IT AUS
2008 19 1 3 4 7 8 9 11 11 14 15 15 33 42 54 1,034,000+

Singles

Year Single Chart peak positions Album
UK US IRL NL NOR GER DEN BEL ITA WO SWE AUS TUR SP
2008 "Chasing Pavements" 2 82 7 9 1 46 8 6 7 22 37 56 — — 19
"Cold Shoulder" 18 — — 28 — — 69 — — — — — 13 —
"Hometown Glory" 19 — — — — — — — 40 — — — — —
"Tired" (released only in Spain) — — — — — — — — — — — — — 4
"Make You Feel My Love" 26 — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Awards

Year Award Category Title Result
2008 BRIT Awards Critics Choice Won
Mercury Prize Best Album 19 Nominated
MTV Video Awards Best Choreography "Chasing Pavements" Nominated
Q Awards Breakthrough Act Nominated
MOBO Awards Best UK Female Nominated
Woodie Awards Best Video Woodie "Chasing Pavements" Nominated [39]

References

  1. ^ England and Wales Births 1984-2005
  2. ^ Confirmed by herself during a broadcast of Never Mind The Buzzcocks on 2 October, 2008
  3. ^ a b c d e f Interview: Adele - Singer and Songwriter BlogCriticsMagazine 16 July 2008
  4. ^ Adele: 19 peak at #1 OCC. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
  5. ^ Billboard Chart History for Adele [1] Retrieved 26 SEP 2008
  6. ^ Swift, Jacqui (18 January 2008). ""I'll Always Keep Feet on Ground"". The Sun. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  7. ^ "Platforms Magazine - Issue 4".
  8. ^ Billboard presents: Adele Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2008.
  9. ^ a b Artist Biography - Adele Billboard
  10. ^ "This Week's Releases: 21 January 2008". 21 January 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |publication= ignored (help)
  11. ^ a b Sherwin, Adam (10 December 2007). "Critics voice support for 'new Amy Winehouse'". Times Online.
  12. ^ Adele, Basshunter Top U.K. Charts Billboard 4 February, 2008
  13. ^ Adele Inks U.S. Deal With Columbia Billboard 19 March, 2008
  14. ^ Aphex Twin, Goldfrapp, Tankian Join Coachella Lineup Billboard 12 March, 2008
  15. ^ Battle of the not-so-young ones at the top of the US charts Music Week
  16. ^ Adele, Live at Webster Hall Radar Magazine 4 September 2008
  17. ^ Adele Blog 3 September 2008
  18. ^ a b c The Richmonnd Times Dispatch 23 October, 2008
  19. ^ Josh Brolin, Jon Hamm to host "Saturday Night Live";Orlando Sentenel 29 September, 2008
  20. ^ Sarah Palin and 'SNL' reinforce a sense of humor Newsday 20 October, 2008
  21. ^ Adele enjoys an "SNL" bump Newsday 20 October, 2008
  22. ^ AC/DC Debuts At No. 1 With 784,000 Billboard 29 October, 2008
  23. ^ T.I. Continues Hot 100 Dominance Billboard 30 October, 2008
  24. ^ "ADELE really is The Critics' Choice". 24 January 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |publication= ignored (help)
  25. ^ http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2008/07/25/albums-86908-20669867/ Liverpool Echo 23 July 2008
  26. ^ Coldplay and Adele snag VMA nods Virgin Media 28 August
  27. ^ Duffy nominated for Q awards double Wales Online 3 September 2008
  28. ^ Estelle/ Leona Lewis Lead 2008 Mobo Nominations Gigwise 11 September
  29. ^ Soul singers top new talent list
  30. ^ a b Adele ready to write next album BBC Radio1 24 November, 2008
  31. ^ Burt Bacharach joined by Adele, Jamie Cullum, Beth Rowley at BBC Electric Proms NME 23 October, 2008
  32. ^ Dawson, Kim (24 March 2008). "ADELE'S BI GUY". Daily Star.
  33. ^ All Shows for ADELE MySpace
  34. ^ Adele plans to write next album in US 21 July 2008
  35. ^ a b c I wanted to do a happy record but I'm too sad The Sun 8 November, 2008
  36. ^ Roundhouse website
  37. ^ a b aAdele: I refuse to diet Bristol Evening Post 4 November, 2008
  38. ^ Adele hints she's found Mr. Right Digital Spy 12 August 2008
  39. ^ Who's Getting a Chunk of Wood? Emerging Artists Vie for 2008 mtvU Woodie Awards Earthtimes 22 September, 2008
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Adele&oldid=251487598"