Adele Adkins
Adele is back and she’s saying more than just “Hello.” The British superstar’s new single managed to sell 1.1 million copies in its first week in addition to its music video obtaining 100 million views on YouTube. But at this stage in the game, posting good results just seems second nature to Adele. Her previous album “21,” is the 20th best selling album in history with 30 million copies sold worldwide.
Successful sophomore album “21”
Adele’s new album “25,” offers a different perspective from her last record; instead of the gloomy post-breakup feeling “21” elicits, “25” “is about what to hold on to from the past and what to let go.” Adele was keen on making this album perfect, as she’s taken her sweet time (4 ½ years) to release it. Writing partner and notorious hitmaker Ryan Tedder, lead singer of OneRepublic, said she’s thrown out about 20 potential hit songs away because they just weren’t right for the album. These songs might make their way into other artists’ discographies, and most likely will not have the same success than if Adele had opted to sing it.
A major part of her success has been her soul, passion, and emotions
Adele won 6 Grammy’s in 2014
shining through every song she sings; the power and intense feeling packed into every melody magnifies and highlights whatever sentiment she hopes to convey. I love Adele for this reason, because she makes music for the sake of making music. Many times in pop culture celebrities like to pull ridiculous stunts or say something completely absurd to stay relevant in the news. But Adele’s not in it for the fame. In fact, she’s turned down a ton of major endorsement deals strictly because she didn’t feel like doing them. When confronted why she continually elects not to immerse herself more in the spotlight, Adele said “If I wanted to just be famous, like be a celebrity, then I wouldn’t do music… Commercials, being the face of brands, being in movies, being the face of a car, designing watches, food ranges, buildings, airlines, book deals. I’ve been offered everything.…[but] I want to do one thing. I want to make something. I don’t want to be the face of anything.” The 27 year old is really living up to her words, because the only thing she’s the face of is success in music.
“25”
No one knows what to expect from “25” because a lot has changed for her personally since 2011 when the last album was released. She now has a son. She now has a loving boyfriend. She has virtually disappeared from the public eye. She has even said that she cries to her own music, but I think she has enough tissues in the form paper money to wipe away the tears. But all kidding aside, Adele’s personal growth is truly remarkable. No matter what this album has in store for the music world, I look forward to experiencing firsthand.
“25” comes out November 20th.
“Hello”, I like you joke at the beginning of your post. Also the joke with Adele having enough paper money to wipe away her tears. I respect Adele for not taking deals just because she does not want to do it. It shows that she respects what she does and would not sing a song just for the money or the fame. I feel that she is so successful because she only picks songs that is most relevant and relatable to her. That’s why she can have so much emotion and power while she sings her song. So much so that we audience are swayed and moved by the emotions in her voice.
I am also very excited to see what “25” will have in store for us. Adele’s music is truly hypnotizing, you can’t help but feel the emotions she conveys through her voice. I love that Adele is different from the other celebrities, she really does not care about being famous. All she wants to do is create music and I think that is what makes her so unique. When “Hello” first came out, from the first time I heard it I had shivers and tears in my eyes. I will not be surprised if “25” will be even better than her last album.
Adele is truly one of the few artists that has a genuine passion for their work. I, too, get very frustrated and annoyed with the various celebrities completing ludicrous stunts and actions to “hype-up” their image. Though those strategic acts may be a form of art in itself, the art that Adele performs is much more preferable to me. I personally appreciate the authenticity and sincerity heard in Adele’s voice in every single song she has composed. Adele not only produces incredible music, but the lessons and inspiration she provides to others is extraordinary. I’m looking forward to see what she has in stores in her next album, and in the near future.
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I’m really excited to hear the rest of her new album! She truly did revolutionize the music industry with her last album. She’s a huge role model to every female singer out there who wants to ‘make it’ in today’s society. Music is proving to have less and less meaning with various pop artists making it all about drugs, drinking and partying. Adele really puts meaning into her lyrics and brings us all back down to earth with her strong voice.
I agree with you Chris, Adele’s music is truly engaging for any listener because of her passion conveyed within her works. Her songs stir emotions, and are relatable to everyone. To be honest, I underestimated the song “Hello” until I actually listened to it. The climactic moment for me in the music is when she yells “Hello from the other side…I must have called you a thousand times.” The stresses in the vowels of her words really makes her music flow well. Furthermore, we have to see what is in store for her fans in “25.”
I never new Adele turned down a ton of major endorsement deals. Even though I never went out of my way to listen to Adele, your post really makes me want to purchase her new album “25.” So many new artists are inauthentic. For instance, Lana Del Rey is more or less an artificial creation of the music industry. Lana Del Rey’s fake lips, change of hair color, covering up of older releases, and new name all leave a sour taste, like she was manufactured. Luckily, we have artists like Adele to counter this type of artist in the industry.
I’ve never followed an artist blindly, meaning I would not listen and love a song just because this one artist and sang it. I’ve also not been a big fan of following the lives of musicians. But the way you described Adele makes her seem so down to earth and respectable. It seems that with the progression of fame, many musicians lose sight of their original goal in making music: for the sake of the art itself. It seems as though Adele isn’t part of that group.
It’s very hard these days to find a big time musician who isn’t in the industry for the money, but for the sake of music. After reading what you wrote, I have more respect for Adele because she went the extra mile to make sure that all of her songs were up to her standards and not the songs that were going to be potential hits on the billboards. She knows what she is doing; she is making music for the sole purpose of making music. Adele is very natural musician in comparison to the rest of the music industry, who are very constructed and fake. Adele deserves the respect she gets because she earned it and not because she faked her way through the industry.
I really get the sense that Adele is a genuine and authentic artist from your commentary on her and her music. The fact that she even cries when she hears her own music, according to the NYT article, exemplifies how she is a true artist. The best part about Adele is how successful she is at appealing to people beyond her typical fanbase. Her raw and intuitive lyrics and voice serve as a sharp contrast to other artists who rely on magazine and advertisement deals to remain famous. In a world obsessed with social media profiles, money and celebrities being thin and beautiful, Adele is a breath of fresh air.
I never realized how much Adele chose not to be in “the spotlight”. In fact, while she virtually disappeared from the media, I assumed that she just wasn’t doing anything worth noting during that time. In a couple of ways, I felt bad. I really like Adele, and I was a little disappointed that her fame had died out. However, to know now her intentions, I’m insanely impressed. I feel as though a lot of artists, after reaching a certain point of fame, become infatuated with the sudden opportunities of wealth that they are provided with. I don’t blame them and I don’t think its necessarily a bad thing. However, I’m amazed by the willpower that Adele must have to turn all of that down. She has my respect as a fan, that’s for sure.
Wow. That is my reaction to hearing about her success and the way that she has chosen to go about her success. It is hard to believe that someone has to will power to turn down all those endorsement deals. I think that most other people in her situation, if there are any, could not have done what Adele did. Financials aside, I agree with you that whenever she sings she conveys her emotion masterfully. When I hear her sad songs it does actually make me sad. I think that this is what makes her music so popular, People can connect to it. She is amazing
It is truly amazing how Adele is such a genuine and dedicated artists. As you have mentioned, she is only the face of her music. Unlike other artists she does not do endorsements and has focused mainly on her music. This shows through the hard work she has put into her new album in order to make it better. I personally love all of Adele’s songs and after reading your blog post I’ve come to love her even more.
When I read the title of your post, I immediately knew that you wrote about Adel. Her new album has been the topic of many conversations these past few weeks, with avid fans commending her most popular song, “Hello”. I love how your post focused more on her growth as an artist, and how her passion for her music has remained strong and that she hasn’t let fame dictate her decisions for her CD. Aside from the type of songs this new CD would have, many people were also wondering whether or not she would allow her music to stream on music streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music. The answer to this question was actually just posted in a NYtimes article yesterday, confirming that she will, in fact, NOT let her new album, 25, be streamed on such services. This is an extremely interesting decision worth noting, as it completely impacts the sales of her album. Other artists, like Taylor Swift and Beyonce, have also restricted some of their music from streaming services, because they believe that it devalues their music in letting users listen to it for free. I don’t think this will prevent avid fans from purchasing her new album, as it has been anticipated for a long time!!
Having been in a band myself, I am very impressed by Adele’s popularity in the music industry. For my band to achieve a hundred views on a video, it took close to a month; however, Adele managed to beat that ten thousands times over. I think the main reason for Adele’s success is her unwavering dedication to her music. Once becoming famous, it is very easy for an artist to sell out and to produce songs merely for the purpose of making more money. Adele on the other hand releases songs to touch both her audience and herself. She was willing to scrap song after song in order to maximize the impact of her album and to not dilute it with less powerful works. Indeed Adele lives up to the hype around her and exemplifies what it means to be a passionate singer.
I still have not yet listened to her new album but after reading this I think I am about to go and do so! I loved Adele and her first album. You can hear the power and emotion that emanates through each and every song. You can tell, as you stated, that each song was written with passion and for a purpose. Adele seems to put her heart and soul into her music and I love it. I think it works beautifully. And I’ve always wondered why she wasn’t in the limelight more because she is so successful, but it makes sense and I respect her decision to lay low as an artist. She seems like a very authentic person and I can’t wait to hear this next album!!
I realized what an authentic, down-to-earth artist Adele is, especially after reading your post! She really does stand out from mainstream pop. No flashy costumes, glitzy performances, or artsy album covers for Adele. Everything is simple and clean and her voice rings clearest above all. She isn’t wild or fame-hungry or greedy and she doesn’t need to be to attain success beyond everyone’s wildest dreams. “Hello” continues that powerful, authentic style she has and it appeals to more people than the most expensive, glamorous productions other artists have created. I look forward to hearing more from her!