In Love With Adele

I watched the Adele special last night—the BBC, Graham Norton-hosted one. I love her. I love everything. The woman is a natural. Watch those hands move. Look at that smile.

She has this rough street accent when she speaks and the exquisitely beauty of an aristocrat when she sings and moves. She is stunning; simply gorgeous. I have to say so because I am so struck by her beauty. Call me shallow; I adore beauty of every form and she has beauty in spades. She is a full-figured gal with a bit of a trucker in her but she's supremely feminine and graceful. And real, so real.

When Graham Norton asks her about touring, you can feel her reluctance and disinterest. She says: "England maybe." And you feel it is Adele, not some corporation, who is calling the shots in her career. Whoa! And selling more records in her inaugural week than anyone else ever period.

Her dress is simple and beautiful. It is snug below the waist, the way hefty women are advised not to dress and she looks spectacular. It is green with gold print but her face and her golden hair is framed in radiantly pure green. There is no collar, no frill, no jewellery; her hair waves gently off a side part. You see one glittery big earring and she stays in this ensemble the whole night.

BIG fake eyelashes. Big glittery nails. High, high heels. Perfection.

The set is simple. There are no edits in the camera work: it is straight-on no-frills entertainment with the focus entirely on her. Her band plays in dim light. There is no set, only minimalist video projections that add to the atmosphere; they are in black and white. All the colour on the set, the only colour on the set, comes from Adele's dress. (I must take a moment to thank God for my ability to see beauty and to appreciate it so!)

In response to a question from Mr. Norton about how much her life has changed, she responded: "A lot. It's changed a lot! But I haven't. I haven't changed. I'm still the same person I've always been."

And thank God for that because who she is is a refreshing delight in a show biz world of control freaks. For me,  part of her incredible appeal is the sense she is real—that what we see is who she is. Nothing fake.  She's a monster talent as grounded as she is talented.

You get the sense of someone quietly yet confidently and solidly in control of her career. Her casual explanation of what prompted her to write A Million Years Ago, overwhelmed me with its unabashed frankness.  Her accent sounds so street, but she might be the smartest contemporary artist in the recording business.

I have never felt about a singer as I do for Adele since I sat down one day a bazillion years ago and was transfixed forever by Joni Mitchell's album Blue.