I remember the day vividly, that I first heard Adele’s voice. A friend and I were in her car, and she said “I’ve gotta show you this artist.” She and I frequently enjoyed introducing each other to new and emerging artists we had come across. She pulled up Adele’s song “Best for Last” on her iPod, and I listened there in total awe of that full, raspy voice with an extreme range and soul beyond her years. I was instantly hooked.
Two years later, I wasn’t listening to Adele as often, though still frequent enough, but was still anticipating the release of her second album, 21. However, it wasn’t until I heard an interview with Adele on NPR talking about the album, that my anticipation grew into bated breath and then into school-girl giddy, bouncing in my seat every time “Rolling in the Deep” came on the radio. What caught my attention was the source of Adele’s inspiration for the style on this new album. Adele said on NPR during that interview, “She went right through me – it was the first time that I’d ever been so moved by someone’s voice. It was like she was singing a song that was written for me, about me, 50 years after she recorded it.”
It’s no secret that Adele didn’t just like, or even love, Etta James’ music. She lived it, she breathed it, she could feel it in the depths of her soul. However, this album is nowhere near a carbon copy. Adele transformed the unforgettable stylings of Etta James into a modern marvel, something personalized especially for her, making Adele untouchable. Every song rings true to Adele’s soulful sound, and powerful presence. Each song leading into the next, rounding every heart breaking experience to power-inspiring uplift. “Rolling in the Deep” perhaps is the most recognizable style to Etta James’, with its R&B back-up singers and powerful refrain, but the “in your face” mentality of the lyrics gives a nice double-edged sting to the attitude of her first single from the album. Which is, perhaps, why it soured to the top of the charts so quickly, even with listeners who prefer superficial pop layouts.
Adele’s honesty with herself and with her music has done great favors for listeners of mainstream music, educating listeners and pop artists alike. We crave something substantial, and her success is evident of that. With a voice no one can re-create, a soul that sours through each and every one of her listeners’ souls, breaking hearts the whole way.