adelle's Biography

Biography

1988

Spring

Baby Blues

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins is born in the hardscrabble North London community of Tottenham to art student Penny Adkins and Welsh plumber Mark Evans. Her father chooses the middle name Blue for his baby girl because of his love of blues music. When her parents split in the '90s, Adele settles in South London's West Norwood neighborhood, where she develops an eclectic taste for music, from the Spice Girls to Slipknot and Ella Fitzgerald to Etta James.

2002

School Ties

Adele is accepted to the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, a high school that has turned out musical superstars like Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewisand Jessie J. In 2006, she records three songs for a class project and sends them to a friend, who then uploads the tracks to MySpace. The songs become an Internet sensation and land her a deal with XL Records.

2008

January 28

Numbers Game

Adele releases her debut album, 19, which boasts the soulful singles "Chasing Pavements" and "Hometown Glory." Rolling Stone raves that her voice is "a voluptuous, slightly parched alto that swooped and fluttered like a Dusty Springfield student trying to upstage her teacher, or at least update the rules."

2009

February 08

Twice as Nice

At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, the 20-year-old newcomer takes home the Grammy for best female pop vocal performance for her hit "Chasing Pavements" and the coveted best new artist trophy. "Thank you so much. I'm going to cry," she says during her acceptance speech.

2011

January 19

The Grand Follow-Up

On the strength of her first No. 1 U.S. single, "Rolling in the Deep," Adele skips the sophomore slump with her follow-up album, 21. Adele writes most of the songs over an intense three-week period. "It took a breakup to get me going. When I'm happy, I don't have much to write about," she says. The CD becomes the best-selling album of 2011. 

October

Pitch Problems

Damage to her vocal cords forces Adele to cancel the remainder of her tour as she undergoes throat surgery. "I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or I risk damaging my voice forever," she says of taking a break from performing.

2012

January

Budding Love

After receiving six Grammy nominations for 21, Adele, 23, graces the cover of PEOPLE and steps out with new love Simon Konecki, 36, whom she meets over the summer. "Everyone in our lives separately and together wish us nothing but the best, and vice versa," she writes of her new romance. 

February 12

Trophy Girl

Adele nails her first post-surgery performance at the Grammy Awards – and becomes the evening's big winner, collecting six awards. "It's been the most life-changing year," an emotional Adele says after picking up the night's biggest prize, album of the year.