Adele: One Night Only marked a new beginning for one of the world’s most revered musicians.
One part live concert, one part Oprah Winfrey interview, the CBS-televised event gave onlookers of the 15-time Grammy Award winner a rare glimpse into the singer’s personal and professional life, five days ahead of the release of her upcoming studio album, 30, on Friday (11.19.)
Be it wowing her intimate audience in front of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles with stunning renditions of prior hits “Hello,” “Rolling in the Deep,” and “Someone Like You” or addressing personal issues of love, divorce, body image, and motherhood during during her candid conversation with Winfrey, the singer didn’t hold back during the two-hour special.
The special moment marked the Adele’s first public performance in 6 years and her first since her divorce from Simon Konecki, as she discussed how singing “Hello” feels differently looking back to where she was when first she wrote the song and where she is now. Adele also performed “I Drink Wine” and “Hold On” from her from her forthcoming studio album.
Opting to don two stunning ensembles, a black, sculptural gown for her performance, and a sophisticated cream hued suit during her chat with Oprah Winfrey, the British chanteuse sung and spoke with inordinate and candid emotion.
The in-person minimalistic audience consisted of A-List celebrities Lizzo, Selena Gomez, Gabrielle Union, Melissa McCarthy, Donald Glover, Seth Rogan, and it was Adele’s son, Angelo Atkins’ first time seeing his mother perform live.
During her sit-down conversation with Oprah, the Brit opened up about her divorce, her recent weight loss, her strained relationship with her father, and finding love again with her new boyfriend, sports agent Rich Paul, stating:
“I’ve been obsessed with the nuclear family my whole life because I never came from one. In all these movies and all these books, when you grow up reading them, that’s what it should be. I just, from a very young age, promised myself that when I had kids, that we’d stay together. We would be that united family. And I tried for a really, really long time,” said Adele about her initial hopes for a traditional, unified family and her eventual decision to file for divorce. “I was just so disappointed for my son. I was so disappointed for myself, and I thought I was gonna be the one that stopped doing those bloody patterns all the time.”
Midway through the special, Adele paused the music to help conduct a surprise proposal for a local couple – Quinton and Ashley – as they made their way to the foot of the stage (with his soon-to-be fiancee blindfolded and wearing noise-cancelling headphones) to eventually ask for her hand in marriage. Adele capped the emotional moment performing “Make You Feel My Love” for the newly engaged couple.
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: Kristopher Harris