By Michelle Joline
Writer
With the craze for house music and techno on the rise, classic alternative rock and coffeehouse lovers can find some solace in the contemporary sound of Adele. After a hit first album titled “19,” representing the age she wrote the heartbreaking songs, she does not disappoint with her second, “21.” The numbers titling her soulful albums are, if nothing else, deceiving. Her voice is reminiscent of the great jazz singers of the last era, like Ella and Etta, with lyrics that hold the wisdom of women two or three times her age.
Born in the U.K. and following in the footsteps of Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, Adele graduated from The Brit School and pursued a career in music, immediately becoming a sensation in Europe. Americans were not disappointed with her musical arrival either, as she sold 352,000 records within the first week of her second album’s release. Perhaps she is satisfying some of the gaps in music that have existed in the past few years, offering listeners a raw voice on top of a catchy melody.
It seemed like everyone had the sound of “Chasing Pavements” stuck in their heads a few years back, but Adele managed to make another quick hit with “Rolling in the Deep,” maintaining a top slot on the Billboard charts for weeks. The heavy bass in her music pulls listeners in and forces them to listen to her lyrics, which typically relate to a past, current and future love. Her lyrics resonate with the majority of the population, particularly those who have found themselves heartbroken. Adele described her music in an interview with Russell Porter as being “heartbroken soul” and the perfect listening for those who have caught the fever.
Adele has said that her love for relationships is not only reserved for the opposite sex, but also food. Her weight has been a controversial topic since the debut of her first album. In an interview with Myplay, Adele spoke out on the subject by saying, “I’m a singer. I never want to be known for anything else. I’d rather weigh a ton and make an amazing album than look like Nicole Richie and do a s*** album. My aim in life is never to be skinny.” She is now making a statement for what is seen as beautiful in Hollywood, being recognized for her amazing talents rather than a small waistline. Adele’s inspiration doesn’t just lie in the confidence behind her lyrics, but also the image she presents to the girls listening.
Hopefully we will be getting a lot more inspiration from Adele over the coming decades. I haven’t been disappointed yet with any of her released songs, as she turns out hit after hit.
If you are interested in downloading some of her best songs, here are my top 10 picks:
- Rolling In The Deep
- Chasing Pavements
- Crazy For You
- First Love
- Make You Feel My Love
- Turning Tables
- Take It All
- Someone Like You
- I Found A Boy
- My Same