(Soon enough, anyway.) Allow me to introduce you to Adele. Yes, she’s British, and yes, she’s fantastic.
After posting a few songs to her MySpace page, 18-year old Adele Adkins was signed to indie label XL Recordings (UK home of The White Stripes and Radiohead) in November 2006. Buzz began building as Adele performed at London-area pubs, and really took hold in June when the singer was invited onto the BBC’s Later…With Jules Holland, though she had no album out (in fact, it wasn’t until October that first single “Hometown Glory” was released).
Adele received the first BRIT Awards Critics’ Choice prize in December (Duffy placed second), and the following month, she won the BBC’s “Sound of 2008” poll and released her debut, 19. Adele’s captivating voice suggests a much older chanteuse, the spirit of a long-ago torch/jazz singer transported to the modern age. “Chasing Pavements” recently reached #2 in the UK. Hear here:
Adele has been called the “new Amy Winehouse,” and there are indeed some unmistakable vocal similarities (Mark Ronson even produced a track on 19, “Cold Shoulder”). But this young singer-songwriter seems to have arrived at the station sans baggage. Unlike Winehouse (whom I dearly love), there’s no need to separate musical prowess from personal drama. Thus far, Adele’s only trainwreck moment is in the plot of her “Chasing Pavements” video (though to be accurate, it’s a car wreck):
A friend rightly described Adele’s music as something both she and her father can enjoy. Such sentiment captures the magic of this discovery, as Adele’s songs about the ups-and-downs of love are universal experiences (she even got a shout-out from Kanye West). Another of my favorite tracks from 19 is “Right As Rain”—a reimagined “I Will Survive” for the new London Soul generation:
Adele just signed with Columbia Records in the U.S., though 19 won’t be released here until summer. “Chasing Pavements” is available now from Amazon, and you can head over to iTunes for “Hometown Glory” (which reminds me of Sia’s “Breathe Me”).
If you like what you’ve heard, spring for the import—Adele’s take on the new London Soul sound is worth every pound.
