That photo of Adele is from about four years ago, back when she was just 19 years old*. That means the photo was taken just a year after Adele decided that her youth, her friends, and her 18th birthday party were more important than signing a record deal:
Adele reportedly refused to sign a record deal because she was too busy planning her birthday party. The ‘Someone Like You’ singer wanted to celebrate her 18th birthday with a bash to remember and refused to let the offer of a contract get in the way, according to school friend Allan Rose.
He said: ”It was typical Adele. Her pals were more important.”
Allan met Adele at the BRIT school – which also counts Jessie J, Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis amongst its past pupils – where he says everyone knew she was destined for great things.
He told The Sun newspaper: ”It was clear she was going to be a star. Some people were that step above everyone else, and Adele was one of them. She was just naturally musically gifted.”
The singer famously refused to play any festivals in 2011 because she wanted to spend the summer ”drinking cider” and leading a ”normal” life with her friends.
She told Q magazine: ”You’ve got to build up relationships. I’m at a point where I’m making my friends for life. I don’t want to forget how to be normal. You’ve got to go out and have a laugh, innit?”
And Allan believes Adele is still the same person he once knew.
He added: ”She’s clearly stayed grounded. She was bubbly, fun, outgoing and popular at school. Everyone is proud we spent time with this amazing talent.”
See, I knew she was awesome! I got even more proof this weekend. I was talking to my BFF, and I realized I’d never asked her about her feelings on my girl, Adele. She said that she liked her music ok, but that she got the feeling that she was kind of stuck up or bitchy, or that something was off about her. Needless to say, I found that upsetting. I asked if she’d ever even heard Adele speak, and she said she hadn’t, and I was like “oh, then just you wait.” I went through some clips, and I found this gem of Adele on Chelsea Handler‘s show. It’s pretty old, but it deserves to be watched:
Oh my gosh, right? How could you not love this girl? Go to the 4:37 mark and just hear Adele’s laugh and the way she calls Chelsea Handler a bitch. If you didn’t smile, then I don’t know what happened to your heart.
*Side note: Adele’s birthday is May 5th, 1988, which is less than a month before my own birthday. This means that we will throw month-long birthday parties together, starting with hers and ending with mine. Because that’s what inseparable BFFs and platonic soul mates do.