British music iconAdele became emotional on Saturday night as she concluded her 100th and final performance in Las Vegas.
The award-winning singer spent the last two years headlining a weekend residency at Caesars Palace, a venue with a capacity of 4,000. Known for her heartfelt interactions with fans during her performances, Adele admitted that the residency had taken a significant emotional toll on her.
Earlier this year, she announced plans to take an extended break from music after completing her series of shows.
Footage from the event captured Adele tearing up during the final concert as she said goodbye to the Las Vegas stage, marking the end of an unforgettable chapter in her career.
“I’m so sad this residency is over, but I am so glad that it happened; I really, really am,” she said. “I will miss it terribly. I will miss you terribly. I don’t know when I next want to perform again,” she added.
In July, Adele, best known for hits such as Rolling In The Deep, Hello, Someone Like You and Easy On Me, revealed she had plans to take an extended break from music after her current run of concerts.
“My tank is quite empty at the minute,” the star told German broadcaster ZDF.
“I don’t have any plans for new music at all,” she said.
“I want a big break after all this and I think I want to do other creative things just for a little while.
“You know, I don’t even sing at home at all. How strange is that?”
Throughout her residency, Adele delivered countless memorable moments, one of the most touching being her interaction with Celine Dion. During a particular performance, Adele was overcome with emotion upon noticing Dion in the audience. The two iconic artists later shared a warm embrace on stage at the Colosseum Theatre at Caesars Palace—the very venue where Dion began her landmark residency in 2003.
Adele added one of the reasons she wanted to take a break from music is because of a struggle with the limelight.
Adele has frequently spoken of her deep respect and admiration for the legendary Canadian singer, while Dion has equallylauded Adele for her remarkable talent and accomplishments in the music industry.
British singer, Adele revealed her engagement in a spontaneous interaction with fans at a concert in Germany.
While performing in Munich, the singer noticed a fan holding a sign that read, “Will you marry me?”
She read out the message, but replied: “I can’t marry you because I’m already getting married, so I can’t, but I appreciate it, thank you.”
She then showed the crowd what appeared to be an engagement ring, eliciting enthusiastic cheers.
The moment was recorded and posted on social media.
Adele has been in a relationship with US sports agent Rich Paul since 2021 and was formerly married to Simon Konecki, with whom she has a son.
The 36-year-old has been pictured out with Paul at events such as NBA games and told Elle magazine in 2022: “I’ve never been in love like this. I’m obsessed with him.”
Paul is founder of Klutch Sports Group and counts basketball legend LeBron James among his clients.
Adele seemingly confirms her engagement to Rich Paul during her latest concert in Munich
“Will you marry me? I can’t marry you because I’m already getting married so I can’t.” pic.twitter.com/zOcd4b7zrh
Adele‘s Las Vegas residency is approaching its 100th and final show in November, after which she plans to take an extended break from music.
She expressed feeling emotionally drained from the experience, despite the manageable crowd size at Caesar’s Palace.
Adele admitted to feeling easily angered, citing a recent incident at a show where she confronted an audience member for a disrespectful comment.
Reflecting on her career, she mentioned missing the anonymity of pre-fame life and expressed a desire to explore other creative pursuits during her hiatus from music.
“My tank is quite empty at the minute,” the star told German broadcaster ZDF ahead of a 10-date residency in Munich. “I don’t have any plans for new music at all,” she said.
“I want a big break after all this and I think I want to do other creative things just for a little while.
“You know, I don’t even sing at home at all. How strange is that?”
In the latest video capturing the attention of fans,Frances Kuffuordelivered a flawless performance of Adele‘s hit song ‘Easy on Me,’ earning widespread admiration and numerous retweets on Twitter.
The rising star continues to captivate netizens with her undeniable talent.
Earlier, Frances Kuffuor made waves with a rendition of Celine Dion‘s iconic song from the Titanic soundtrack, ‘My Heart Will Go On.’
In a video that has gone viral, Kuffuor effortlessly hits the high notes, leaving viewers in awe of her explosive talent.
The captivating performance has sparked a buzz on various social media platforms, with many users expressing their profound admiration for the young singer.
Kuffuor flawlessly captures the essence of Celine Dion’s vocal range, garnering mixed reactions from impressed netizens.
Social media enthusiasts are now urging others to share the video widely in the hopes of catching the attention of Celine Dion herself.
The online community can’t seem to get enough of Kuffuor’s remarkable talent.
Watch video below:
Ghanaian student’s rendition of ‘Easy on Me' by Adele goes viral#Tigpost 23rd February | Hajia 4Real | Kelvin Taylor #Omahlay Accra Sports Stadium | Christ Jesus #TV3NewDay Wendy Shay | Leverkusen pic.twitter.com/8AlixGanp7
Singer Adele has made the decision to abstain from alcohol. During her recent Las Vegas performance, as she engaged with a concertgoer who was enjoying a beverage, the singer disclosed to her audience that she had “quit drinking some time ago.” This revelation was captured in a video shared on social media.
“It feels like forever,” she said, revealing that this new chapter began “maybe three and a half months ago.”
She went on to lament, “It’s boring. Oh my god, it’s boring.”
“I mean, I was literally a borderline alcoholic for quite a lot of my twenties,” she said.
The “Hello” singer told her audience she has also stopped drinking caffeine.
Adele has previously opened up about her complex relationship with alcohol. In a conversation with Oprah in 2021, she humorously mentioned that she was likely “keeping the alcohol industry alive” following her divorce from entrepreneur Simon Konecki.
Adele and Konecki publicly announced their separation in 2019 and have a shared child, Angelo, who was born in 2012.
While Adele didn’t divulge the specific reasons behind her recent decision to abstain from alcohol, she did encourage the concert attendee to savor their whiskey sour during their interaction.
Three ofAdele‘s songs have surpassed two billion views on YouTube, making her the second female artist after Rihanna to accomplish this feat.
Adele’s song, “Someone Like You” has reached two billion views on YouTube, making it her third track to achieve the same after “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello.”
Rihanna was the only female artiste with three songs with over two billion views on the site. Both Adele and Riri began their musical journeys at an early age. They are the only two female artistes with this record, and their fans could not keep themselves from cheering for them.
Adele has joined Rihanna in creating history by becoming the second female artist to have three of her songs cross two billion views on YouTube. The Grammy-winning singer has broken several records with her melodious songs and has now achieved another milestone.
Both Adele and Rihanna began their musical journeys at an early age. While Adele was 18 when she signed her first record deal, Rihanna was 19 when she released her debut single, Pon de Replay. Over the years, the two singers have won millions of hearts with their melodious voices and many accolades.
In light of the recent news by Pop Crave, Adele’s song “Someone Like You” has reached two billion views on YouTube. This is her third track to achieve the same after “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello”.
Earlier, Rihanna was the only female artiste with three songs with over two billion views on the site. The Barbadian singer’s tracks that have crossed two billion views are “Diamonds”, “This Is What You Came For” with Calvin Harris, and “Love The Way You Lie” with Eminem.
A Twitter user wrote, “Two queens of the music industry,” while another wrote, “Back when music was good in the 2010s.” A third user commented, “The power they both hold, omg.” An Adele fan also wrote, “FIRST female artist to do so as a lead artist she’s mother.”
Adele has been making headlines since her comeback in 2021. She has broken several records with her melodious songs and has won millions of hearts with her voice.
Hey there, fellow entertainment lovers! We all know how much we adore our favorite celebs, right?
They’re like the shining stars in our lives that we can’t help but look up to. Some people even treat them like gods! But hold up, did you know that our beloved Rihanna and Adele were once just tiny tots with runny noses and dirty nappies? Yes, it’s true! And today, we’ve got some super adorable images of them and other celebs in the entertainment industry that’ll make you go “aww”!
First up, we’ve got the Barbadian beauty Rihanna! She has been slaying the music scene for years, but before she became the queen of pop, she was just a little cutie pie. Take a look at this precious pic of baby Riri that’ll make your heart melt.
We have the handsome Leonardo DiCaprio. Before he became a Hollywood heartthrob, Leo was just a cute little guy with a winning smile. Check out this adorable pic of him as a kid, and we bet you’ll fall in love with him all over again.
Next on our list is the hobbit himself, Elijah Wood. Long before he journeyed to Middle Earth, Elijah was a cherub-faced kid with a mischievous grin. This precious pic of him will make your heart melt faster than the One Ring!
And who can forget the charming Chris Pratt? Before he was Star-Lord or Andy Dwyer, he was just a sweet little boy with a bowl cut. This pic of him in a clean white shirt will make you wish you could go back in time and give him a big hug. Now let’s take a look at the gorgeous Scarlett Johansson. Before she became Black Widow, Scarlett was a beautiful little girl with big dreams. This pic of her at a young age will make you believe that anything is possible.
And what about the swoon-worthy Ryan Gosling? Before he was breaking hearts on the big screen, he was a cute little boy with a charming smile. This adorable pic of him as a kid will make you fall in love with him even more.
Moving on to the hilarious Amy Schumer. Long before she was a comedy superstar, Amy was a precocious little girl with a love for dress-up. This pic of her in pig tails is guaranteed to make you smile.
And of course, we can’t forget about Justin Bieber. Before he was a global pop sensation, Justin was just a cute little boy with a bowl cut and a dream. This pic of him as a baby is all you need to see today!
Last but not least, we have the amazing Adele and the legendary Jackie Chan. Before they were icons in the music and film industries, they were both adorable kids with big personalities. These sweet throwback pics of them are sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside
11. Jackie Chan
There you have it, folks! A collection of sweet and endearing photos of some of our favorite celebs before they became household names. These pics prove that everyone has to start somewhere, and even the biggest stars were once just cute and cuddly babies.
Musicians Adele and Ed Sheeran declined to perform at King Charles’ coronation appeared first on Consequence.
It’s not easy being King, and Adele and Ed Sheeran sure aren’t making it any easier: The two singers have reportedly declined King Charles III’s invitations to perform at an upcoming concert in celebration of his coronation.
OK! reports that King Charles had specifically wanted the duo to perform at the concert, which is scheduled for May 7th, the day after he officially takes over for the late Queen Elizabeth III.
Sheeran chalked his absence up to scheduling conflicts, noting that he has a concert in Texas the day before and it would be difficult to make it back to England in time.
Adele, however, didn’t offer an explanation, and she doesn’t have any live performances scheduled after March 25th.
“The King has suggested a number of people he would like to perform and Adele and Ed were on that list,” an organizer of the coronation event said.
“He was very keen that they were part of the concert… There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment. They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe. It’s such a shame.”
The performers of the coronation concert have not yet been confirmed, but OK! adds that Lionel Richie and the Spice Girls are the frontrunners to take the stage, while there are also rumors of a Harry Styles appearance.
If you — or King Charles — still need tickets to see Sheeran on his 2023 tour, head over to StubHub.
‘He was very keen that they were part of the concert.’
They added to Mail on Sunday: ‘There is a team set up to get the talent signed up so they approached the two of them, but got replies saying that they were unavailable, which was a massive disappointment.
The King’s Coronation takes place on May 7 (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
‘They are titans of the showbiz industry and are quintessentially British but also known across the globe.’
‘It’s such a shame,’ the insider claimed.
Thinking Out Loud hitmaker Ed, 32, does in fact have commitments around the time of the Coronation.
A representative for Ed also told Metro.co.uk that neither the star nor his team has even been ‘approached’ about a possible performance.
Ed actually has a show in Texas the day before the Coronation gig, meaning it would be pretty hard (not to mention tiring) for him to make the trip back home.
Ed has a show in the States the day before the Coronation gig (Picture: AAPIMAGE)Adele is currently performing in Vegas, but her May diary is unknown (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD)
However, since Ed has used a private jet in the past, insiders claim it would be possible for him to do so again for the nine-hour journey.
Meanwhile, it’s unknown what Adele, 34, will be doing around the time of the Coronation.
Adele is officially winning at life after achieving her long-time dream of meeting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at this year’s Grammy Awards.
The epic moment was orchestrated by Grammy host Trevor Noah, who kicked off Sunday’s show by approaching Adele’s table during his opening monologue and revealing some lesser-known facts about the British singer.
“This is one of the strangest things I found out: The person that Adele has always wanted to meet, but never has, is Dwayne Johnson,” he told the star-studded audience at the 65th annual ceremony. “I found out he’s a huge fan of yours, too.”
Noah teased that while he didn’t have anybody called “Dwayne Johnson” there, he did have someone called “The Rock,” before finally making a long overdue introduction.
Unbeknown to the “Hello” hitmaker, Johnson had walked behind up behind her seat. The stunned singer stood up and got a bear hug from the Hollywood action man.
“Adele meet The Rock, The Rock meet Adele! For the first time ever!” Noah said. “All right, you two get acquainted, we gotta keep the show moving!”
In December 2021, Adele revealed she would “actually cry” if she ever met Johnson, whom she described as “amazing.” Despite living in Beverly Hills for several years, the 34-year-old singer had yet to cross paths with the former wrestling star.
“I was the biggest wrestling fan when I was younger,” she said during an appearance on YouTube channel NikkieTutorials. “He sent me flowers the other day because he and his wife couldn’t make my show. Literally, I nearly fell off my chair!”
Adele and Johnson’s new friendship was cemented on Sunday night when he took to the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to present her with the Best Pop Solo Performance award for “Easy On Me.”
“Get up here, best friend Adele,” the “Black Adam” star said.
The 16-time Grammy winner got all emotional as she dedicated the win to her son Angelo – before recalling that her partner, Rich Paul, told her before the show, “Don’t cry, if you win anything, don’t cry.”
It’s been quite a year for music, from Beyoncé’s unbreakable soul and Adele’s “Easy” listening to Bad Bunny’s hot-boy Verano and Harry Style’s House party. But now we finally know who’ll need a U-Haul to take home all their trophies from the 65th annual Grammy Awards.
Bey went in with the most nominations (nine) and wound up breaking the record for the most Grammy wins by a single artist ever: a staggering 32. But if she scooped up several awards at the ceremony, she failed to net three of the biggest: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year, the last of which many (including EW) thought she had in, well, her bag.
Those wins, which were announced in the final hour of the show, would surprise even the artists who won them. Visibly stunned veteran singer-songwriter (and now 13-time winner) Bonnie Raitt snagged the award for Song of the Year for her track “Just Like That,” the first song written by a solo songwriter to take the prize since Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab” 15 years ago.
Record of the Year went to an equally shocked Lizzo for her feel-good anthem “About Damn Time.” She dedicated her golden gramophone to her idols, including Prince and Bey. “Beyoncé, in the fifth grade I skipped school to see you perform,” she said. “You changed my life… So thank you so much. You clearly are the artist of our lives. I love you!”
And then there was the night’s most coveted trophy — Album of the Year — a category that once again pitted Adele (for 30) against Beyoncé (for Renaissance). But neither diva would snatch the statch (nor would Bad Bunny, ABBA, Mary J. Blige, Lizzo, Brandi Carlile, or Coldplay). The award instead went to Harry Styles for Harry’s House. Like Lizzo, the “As It Was” singer used his acceptance speech to praise his fellow nominees. “Man, I’ve been so, so inspired by every artist in this category with me,” he said. “And I think on nights like tonight it’s so important for us to remember that there is no such thing as best in music. I don’t think any of us sit in the studio making decisions based on what is going to get us one of these.”
Trevor Noah returned for his third year as host of the proceedings, having left his day job at The Daily Show. “Sometimes when you’re doing a live award show you can focus so much on the production of it that you forget what’s happening right in front of your eyes. And that is, some of the greatest talents of a generation are performing live in front of you,” Noah told EW’s Awardist podcast. “It’s just this live volcano that’s erupting in front of our eyes, and it’s beautiful to be a part of.”
Adele has thanked fans for “coming back” to her on the opening night of her delayed Las Vegas residency.
The singer praised fans who had waited nearly a year for her rescheduled performance.
She received a standing ovation when she walked on stage at Caesars Palace on Friday, and described the show as “just perfect”.
The set on the Colosseum stage “looked just like I imagined”.
In an emotional speech, the 34-year-old singer opened the show by telling fans she should be giving them a standing ovation, a she said she “might be a bit wobbly at times”.
Some in the audience had waited 11 months to see the artist after the five-month run of shows, that should have started in January, were postponed at a day’s notice because of a Covid outbreak among production staff and delays in finishing the set.
The singer had announced the postponement on Instagram, telling fans in a tearful message the show was “not ready”.
At the concert on Friday, she said: “My nerves are out of control” as she joked that it was a massive week for her with the Walking Dead finale on Sunday.
Her first song of the evening was her 2015 number one single Hello, after which she received another standing ovation.
Easy On Me, Set Fire To The Rain and Someone Like You also made it onto the set list.
John Katsilometes, a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal who was at the gig, praised the singer’s performance, calling it “a pretty special night”.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, ‘Weekends with Adele’ will run for five months
He told the BBC’s Today programme: “She crushed it. It was a pretty special night for Adele and everyone in the room tonight.
“There were a great deal of nerves and trepidation in that room tonight, especially from Adele when she came out – and she delivered.
“She was impressive, and gave a warm and complete performance. I don’t think she could have asked for any more than what she delivered tonight.”
Fans Ryan Fuller, 38, from San Francisco, said the show was “beautiful” and “worth the wait”.
‘Weekends with Adele’ will be on until March.
She joins a string of artists taking up the coveted residency, including Elton John, Cher and The Beach Boys.
But once the residency is over, the singer said she will put a pause on performing to study English Literature at university.
At the 2021 Grammys, Beyoncé picked up four awards, bringing her total to 28 and making her the winningest woman in Grammy history.
At the 2023 ceremony, she will have nine chances to add to her total: The 41-year-old star is the top nominee for the 65th annual Grammy Awards, with all but one of her nods coming for her dance-heavy album “Renaissance.”
She leads a pack that includes Kendrick Lamar, with eight nominations; Adele and Brandi Carlile, with seven apiece; and Harry Styles, Mary J. Blige, Future, DJ Khaled and the producer and songwriter The-Dream, with six each, the Recording Academy announced on Tuesday.
The awards will be held on Feb. 5 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles (the former Staples Center) in what the academy is hoping will be its return to something like normal operating procedure after two years of delays and complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Beyoncé’s nominations are in each of the three big all-genre categories — album of the year, plus record and song of the year for her single “Break My Soul” — as well as in the dance/electronic field and in R&B, where her tracks “Virgo’s Groove” (R&B performance), “Plastic Off the Sofa” (traditional R&B performance) and “Cuff It” (R&B song) were all recognized. She is also up for best song written for visual media for “Be Alive,” from the film “King Richard.”
Those bring Beyoncé to a career total of 88 nominations — tying Jay-Z, her husband, for the most received by any artist in the history of the awards. (Jay-Z, who had held the record with 83 nods, got five more this year, for contributions to “Renaissance” and DJ Khaled’s “God Did.”)
If Beyoncé takes three awards in February, she will match the classical conductor Georg Solti for the most Grammy wins by any artist. (She is already tied for second place in that race, with Quincy Jones.)
Despite the shower of nominations Beyoncé has received over the years, going back to her time in Destiny’s Child two decades ago, she has won only once in any of the four most prestigious categories: as a credited songwriter of “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” which took song of the year in 2010. Every other victory has been in down-ballot genre fields.
In what is sure to be one of the night’s major story lines, Beyoncé will once again face Adele in multiple contests, including album of the year (“Renaissance” vs. Adele’s “30”) and both record and song of the year (“Break My Soul” vs. “Easy on Me”).
The two women, both titans of contemporary pop with ardent fan bases, last squared off at the 2017 Grammys. That year, Adele’s “25” beat Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” in a closely watched contest for album of the year that fed into longtime complaints that the awards often fail to recognize Black musicians in the most prominent categories. Accepting the award, a tearful Adele said, “I’m very grateful and gracious, but my artist of my life is Beyoncé.”
This year’s other nominees for album of the year include Lamar, for “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” his return after five years; Styles’s “Harry’s House”; Lizzo’s “Special”; Carlile’s “In These Silent Days”; Mary J. Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous” (in its “deluxe” edition); Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres”; Abba’s “Voyage,” the Swedish foursome’s first new album in 40 years; and Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti.”
“Un Verano,” a streaming blockbuster and the year’s best-selling album so far, is the first release performed entirely in Spanish to be up for album of the year. Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican star, is the top nominee at the Latin Grammys on Thursday, with 10.
For record of the year, which goes to the artists, producers and engineers behind a single track, “Break My Soul” and “Easy on Me” will compete against Styles’s “As It Was”; Lizzo’s “About Damn Time”; Doja Cat’s “Woman”; Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5”; Carlile’s “You and Me on the Rock,” featuring Lucius; Abba’s “Don’t Shut Me Down”; Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous; and “Bad Habit,” the breakout hit by the 24-year-old singer and guitarist Steve Lacy, who built his reputation as an innovator on the fringes of alternative R&B.
“Break My Soul,” “Easy on Me,” “As It Was,” “About Damn Time,” “Bad Habit” and “The Heart Part 5” are also up for song of the year, a songwriters’ award, along with Gayle’s “Abcdefu”; Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That”; DJ Khaled’s “God Did”; and Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” an expansion of a track that originally appeared on Swift’s 2012 album “Red,” which she rereleased as a fresh recording last years.
Beyoncé and Adele are the stars to beat at the 2023 Grammy Awards, and will go head-to-head for all the major prizes.
Both artists have been nominated for album of the year – Adele for her sumptuous fourth album 30, and Beyoncé for her danceflooropus Renaissance.
Adele’s single Easy On Me and Beyoncé’sBreak My Soul are each up for song and record of the year.
British stars Harry Styles and Coldplay are also in the running for best album, alongside Swedish pop icons Abba.
The quartet have received their first ever album of the year nomination for last year’s Voyage – which saw them emerge from a 39-year hibernation.
The nominations were announced on Tuesday, and Beyoncéleads the pack with nine overall – including nods in the dance and R&B categories.
She is now tied with her husband Jay-Z as the most-nominated artist in Grammy history, with a total of 88, overtaking Sir Paul McCartney and Quincy Jones.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jay-Z and Beyoncé – the Grammys’ biggest power couple
However, the star has not won a prize in any of the three biggest categories (album, record and song of the year) since Single Ladies was named song of the year in 2010.
But if she collects four (or more) awards next February, she will beat conductor Sir George Solti’s all-time record of 31 Grammys.
Kendrick Lamar is this year’s second biggest nominee, with eight nods for his fourth album Mr Morale and the Big Steppers – a pensive rumination on the state of the world and his own moral failings – and the freestyle The Heart Part 5.
Adele and country star Brandi Carli are tied in third place, with seven nominations each.
Taylor Swift has received multiple nominations for her epic re-recording of 2012’s All Too Well, but her latest album, Midnights, was released too late for inclusion in the 2023 field.
And Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny has made history by landing the first ever album of the year nomination for a Spanish language album.
His record, Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You), dominated the US Billboard charts this summer, racking up 13 weeks at number one.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Kendrick Lamar is the first rapper to be nominated for album of the year for four consecutive albums
British artists have had a particularly strong year. Along with Adele, Harry Styles has nominations for album of the year (Harry’s House) as well as record and song of the year (As It Was).
Ozzy Osbourne picks up several nominations in the rock categories for his solo record Patient Number 9; while the Isle Of Wight duo Wet Leg get a nod for best new act.
Albums withheld
Drake and The Weeknd, who would have been likely frontrunners in the main categories, withdrew their latest albums from consideration. Both artists have long maintained, with some justification, that the Grammys sideline black artists to genre-based categories.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, whose side project Silk Sonic also declined to submit their album. Rather than criticise the voters, however, Mars said it “would be crazy to ask for anything more” after winning song and record of the year for Leave The Door Open at this year’s ceremony.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Bad Bunny made history with the first-ever Spanish language album of the year nominee
Last month, the rapper Nicki Minaj protested that her hit song Super Freaky Girl had been moved from rap to the pop categories during the shortlisting process. In the end, it failed to pick up any nominations.
Other snubs included Elton John, whose hit collaboration with Dua Lipa, Cold Heart, was expected to pick up a nomination for best pop duo/group performance; and Ed Sheeran, whose fifth album = was completely overlooked.
But the Grammys can be strangely cautious of mainstream success. At this year’s ceremony, for example, Jon Batiste won album of the year for the handsome soul record We Are, beating big sellers like Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour and Lil Nas X’s Montero.
His victory reinforced the perception that Grammy voters care more about tradition and musical chops than innovation and commercial performance – something many former nominees have grumbled about.
However, that could change this year, after almost 2,000 new members joined the voting organisation, 44% of whom come “from traditionally underrepresented communities,” according to the Recording Academy. “And almost 50% are under the age of 40,” noted chief executive, Harvey Mason Jr.
The nominees were announced in a livestream from the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles by former winners including Olivia Rodrigo, Cyndi Lauper and John Legend.
Here’s a rundown of the major categories, and who might stand to win at the ceremony on 5 February, 2023.
Album of the year
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Even counting his time as a member of One Direction, Harry Styles has never been nominated in any of the Grammys main categories, until now
Abba – Voyage
Adele – 30
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Mary J Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Lizzo – Special
Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
Kendrick Lamar – Mr Morale & The Big Steppers
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
The headline here is the repeat of 2017’s best album race, in which Adele’s 25 controversially beat Beyoncé’s Lemonade.
On stage, Adele said: “I can’t possibly accept this award. I’m very humbled and very grateful and gracious but my life is Beyoncé.” In the end, she held on to the trophy – but when it arrived in the mail it was broken in two. That’s symbolism.
So who will take top honours this time? Beyoncé’s Renaissance is undoubtedly the better album – a bold blast of dancefloor catharsis, which champions the black and queer roots of house music. But Grammy voters often play it safe, choosing “traditional” songcraft over innovation.
The academy’s membership has been revamped since the upset of 2017, potentially tipping the balance in Beyoncé’s favour. But Adele has won all 13 Grammys she’s been nominated for since 2012.
Song of the year
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Taylor Swift is the only female artist to win album of the year three times
Gayle – ABCDEFU
Lizzo – About Damn Time
Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
Harry Styles – As It Was
Steve Lacy – Bad Habit
Beyoncé – Break My Soul
Adele – Easy On Me
DJ Khaled – God Did
Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That
This is Taylor Swift’s sixth song of the year nomination – meaning she now ties with Sir Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie as the category’s most-nominated writer. The recognition comes for All To Well, a break-up ballad that originally appeared on her 2012 album Red, but was re-recorded with extra verses (and extra juicy details) last year.
However, Swift has never won best song – and her competition this year is especially tough.
Adele’s comeback Easy On Me is the presumed frontrunner: A big blustery ballad, it sold more in the US than her previous song of the year winner, Hello, and spent 10 weeks at number one.
Harry Styles can beat that, though. As It Was, a pop song whose nimble melody disguises lyrics about loneliness and doubt, enjoyed 15 weeks atop the US charts earlier this year.
Record of the year
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Adele is due to start her Las Vegas residency this weekend
Abba – Don’t Shut Me Down
Adele – Easy On Me
Beyoncé – Break My Soul
Mary J Blige – Good Morning
Brandi Carlile ft Lucius – You And Me On The Rock
Doja Cat – Woman
Steve Lacy – Bad Habit
Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
Lizzo – About Damn Time
Harry Styles – As It Was
While the song of the year award recognises music and lyrics, record of the year looks at the finished product – the actual sound recording.
However, there’s significant crossover between the categories, with Adele, Beyoncé, Lizzo and Styles all picking up duplicate nominations.
Once again, Adele leads the pack, but Lizzo’s outrageously charismatic About Damn Time could be a contender.
Meanwhile, Swedish pop legends Abba gained a surprise nomination for Don’t Shut Me Down, taken from their comeback album Voyage.
The sumptuously-recorded vocals alone could be enough to earn them a Grammy award – which would be the band’s first.
Best new artist
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Wet Leg have been one of the year’s biggest breakout acts
Anitta
Omar Apollo
Domi and JD Beck
Muni Long
Samara Joy
Latto
Maneskin
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg
Most years provide a breakout star whose victory in the best new artist category seems nailed on. Last year it was Olivia Rodrigo. This year, it’s an entirely open field.
Predicted nominations for rapper Jack Harlow and singer-songwriter Gayle failed to materialise, despite nominations in other categories.
As a result, the smart money is on Atlanta rapper Latto, thanks to her breakout hit Big Energy, for which she bagged a guest appearance from music legend Mariah Carey.
Meanwhile, former Eurovision winners Maneskin have made huge inroads in the US, and British indie duo Wet Leg are building a sizeable audience for quirky hits like Chaise Longue and Ur Mum.
There’s also a big opportunity for Brazilian star Anitta – who has had a breakthrough year in the States, after releasing her fifth album, Versions Of Me, in April.
While her decade-long career might seem grounds for disqualification, the criteria for best new artist are fairly relaxed.
Artists are eligible if they have broken into public consciousness over the past 12 months, even if they’ve received prior Grammy nominations.
Celebrities enjoy a lot of benefits from their careers, like wealth that most of us can only dream of, special treatment, and larger than life experiences.
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Life in the spotlight comes with the real fact that they can’t go anywhere without bodyguards.
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Adele
Adele is one of the greatest voices of this generation, and fans absolutely love her down to earth personality. Her net worth is at about $190 million, so it makes sense that she has hired security that follows her day and night. She hired Lady Gaga’s former body guard Pete Van Der Been in 2017, who charges $70,000 per year for his services.
Grammy-winning singer, Adele, recently set the record straight on the actual pronunciation of her name during a recent Q&A session to celebrate her new music video ‘I Drink Wine’.
We all have been pronouncing singer Adele’s name wrong all along. The Grammy-winning singer recently set the record straight on the actual pronunciation of her name during a recent Q&A session to celebrate her new music video ‘I Drink Wine’.
While answering questions, the 34-year-old praised one particular fan for properly pronouncing her name.”Love that,” Adele raved. “She said my name perfectly!”
All these years everyone has been calling her ah-dell when it is actually uh-dale, with a slight emphasis on the second syllable.
Adele said her own name for emphasis before answering more questions to celebrate the release of her ‘I Drink Wine’ music video.
Born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins in London, the songstress achieved worldwide recognition after releasing her debut album, ’19,’ in 2008. Adele does not like to use her surname.
“I could have never used my surname,” she previously told YouTuber NikkieTutorials of how she landed on her mononym stage name. “Adele Adkins does not have the same ring as Adele.”She explained that her last name sounded “drab,” though “Adele still feels like my name” even after finding success. She added, “My mum still calls me it. My friends call me it.”
After postponing her concert residency at The Colosseum at Casears Palace a day before it was to start back in January, the singer announced Monday that she has officially rescheduled her shows.
“Words can’t explain how ecstatic I am to finally be able to announce these rescheduled shows. I truly was heartbroken to have to cancel them,” the Grammy winner wrote on Instagram. “But after what feels like an eternity of figuring out logistics for the show that I really want to deliver, and knowing it can happen, I’m more excited than ever! Now I know for some of you it was a horrible decision on my part, and I will always be sorry for that, but I promise you it was the right one. To be with you in such an intimate space every week has been what I’ve most been looking forward to and I’m going to give you the absolute best of me.”
Her shows will now run from November 18 to March 23. On her website, Adele writes that along with the 24 rescheduled shows, she has added eight additional dates. Priority will be given to those who held tickets to the shows that were canceled, her website states.
When originally postponing her shows, Adele shared a tearful video posted to Instagram in which she explained complications she and her crew encountered preparing for the residency.
“I’m so sorry but my show ain’t ready,” she said at the time. “Half my crew, half my team is down with Covid. They still are, and it’s been impossible to finish the show. And I can’t give you what I have right now, and I’m gutted.”
Adele told fans she was “so happy” to be back on stage as she briefly became overwhelmed at the start of her first public concert for five years.
The pop superstar’s composure momentarily cracked as she took in the huge audience in London’s Hyde Park during the opening lines of Hello.
She quickly resumed singing and went on to play a crowd-pleasing two-hour set for the 65,000 fans in her home city.
“It’s so strange to be in front of a crowd again,” she told them.
This would not have been her live comeback if a Las Vegas residency that was scheduled to start in January had gone ahead. But she postponed it 24 hours before the first show, tearfully informing ticket-holders it “ain’t ready”.
She told Friday’s show that she would announce the rearranged US dates “very, very soon”, and that she was waiting for one more piece of equipment to be ready.
Her initial show of her feelings was a display of the down-to-earth persona that is a big part of her appeal.
It soon became obvious that the glammed-up girl next door can still push emotional buttons few other pop stars can reach.
She appeared overwhelmed again as she watched the crowd belt out the chorus to Someone Like You, and few of the 18 bittersweet torch songs she performed were not accompanied by heartfelt sing-alongs.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Some 130,000 people will watch Adele over two nights this weekend
As well as those flashes of emotion, she appeared visibly relieved, too, at being back on a big stage.
She did perform two television specials to promote her latest album 30 in November, but this was her first proper ticketed gig.
“I get so nervous before each show but I love being up here,” she said on Friday.
‘People felt let down’
Lots of those who were due to see her in Vegas will wonder why she couldn’t have got on stage there too. She clearly feels guilty about that debacle.
She told the London crowd she knew lots of people felt let down, “which is mortifying for me”. But she said she “had to” take that decision. She has still not quite explained why.
Her set-up for the British Summer Time festival wasn’t especially complicated. She stood in front of a six-piece band and three backing singers, who were arranged on two 2ft steps.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Adele’s last full concert was at Wembley in 2017
Above them were layered fringes of tastefully-coloured tassels, which lifted up part-way through the show to reveal the middle part of a wraparound screen that filed the backdrop of the stage.
At one point, she and a grand piano appeared at the end of a catwalk that extended into the crowd. There was a bit of confetti, some flame-throwing pyrotechnics, and fireworks at the end.
Those bells and whistles barely felt necessary, and the fans would have been more than happy if the only added extra was her trademark between-song north London banter.
She asked if it was anybody’s birthday, giving out dedications like a local radio DJ. Someone in the front rows had a wedding anniversary. “27 years? Oi oi!”
Then she asked: “Do we have any divorce parties here tonight?” As the crowd roared, so did she: “You liars! Ha ha!”
Crowd bonding
Seconds after launching into her James Bond theme Skyfall, she stopped to alert stewards to someone needing help in the crowd, only restarting when they had been seen to.
At the end of the song, she spotted another possible casualty and her voice turned urgent again. “Do you need help? Are you waving or do you need help? Oh, you’re waving!” She dissolved into laughter once more.
At one point, she asked if there were any Stranger Things fans present, and for a moment it sounded like she might be about to bring out Kate Bush, whose Running Up That Hill has gone back to number one after becoming the show’s unofficial theme.
But no. Adele just wanted to bond with the crowd over the latest series, the second half of which was released on the day of her gig. “I’m going to be knackered tomorrow, gobbling up part two all night,” she joked.
Those going to see her on Saturday will hope she got enough sleep to be on form again for her second night in Hyde Park. After that, she has no more concerts in the diary – until, presumably, Vegas.
As she puts the finishing touches to those plans, this show proved that her deeply-felt songs, piercing voice and sincere presence can be enough to leave the biggest crowd with a warm glow.
