There is a fabulous new British singer that I’ve been listening to a lot lately named ADELE. I, along with millions of other U.S. viewers, first saw her perform on Saturday Night Live. I was pleasantly surprised not only by her sultry, power-house of a voice but by the fact that she didn’t look like every other new artist that seems to be gracing the stage these days (you know the type…petite, blond and southern). Her voice, appearance and personality were unique and a breath of fresh air in an industry that seems to be getting more and more homogeneous.
ADELE is a UK Size 14-16 and has addressed her refusal to diet in interviews saying:
“I’m really mouthy about not having the Hollywood look. Everyone asks me ‘Why don’t you feel pressured to get the Hollywood look?’ and I’m like, “Because I don’t.”
What I find interesting is what a friend pointed out to me a while back when she first saw ADELE’s album cover. Although I find the album cover to be very artistic and cool, I have a nagging feeling that there is more to it then what meets the eye. If you notice, the album cover shows only the singers face which is very dark and shaded so you really get no idea as to what this beautiful woman looks like. Call me a skeptic, but I think this elusive album cover might have been designed to intentionally try to hide what ADELE really looks like. It might be a stretch, but as thin-obsessed as our society is, it wouldn’t shock me if I were wrong.
I think this girl is amazing and so beautiful just the way she is. She adds variety and soul to the music industry and I’m hoping she does amazing at the Grammy’s this year!
It’s not a stretch at all to imagine that marketing people are hiding Adele’s body on her album cover. I immediately thought of the Wilson Phillips music videos that would hide Carnie Wilson’s then-fat body and show plenty of the other two, thin, singers.
Or wasn’t it C & C Music Factory that was caught lip synching to vocals recorded by a fabulous and fat woman singer?
I would have to know something about what the music on the album sounds like. If it’s a happy pop album, then I’m inclined to agree with you.
If it’s more soulful/sultry/moody, I’m inclined to think that the cover was designed to convey that, although it IS kind of cliched and not particularly interesting from an artistic standpoint.
(Even so, I’d buy the album for that cover because it looks like the kind of music I’ve been aching for. Please, tell me the music is like that…if it’s bouncy pop I’ll be disappointed.)
I don’t think you’re wrong, necessary. Record companies certainly have a history of trying to hide fat bodies (especially fat female bodies). Look at poor Anne Wilson in the 80s – the video “Alone” being one of the worst offenders. She’s always in the dark, shadowed, or has her face focused on, while Nancy Wilson (thin) is repeatedly shown in full-body soft-porn shots.
I love Adele’s album and think that she is a gorgeous, curvy woman. Good for her!
Thanks for letting us know about her! Great to support artists who are true.
twlightriver, I’ve previewed her album on iTunes and she is not bouncy pop. Her music is a lot more mellow, a little moodier, and jazzier.
O.C., C&C Music Factory did do just that. They used Martha Wash’s vocals and a model lip-synched to them. It was such a huge controversy back in the 90s, that the model started singing whereever she could to prove that she had a decent voice too. Which she did, because from then on, she sang on their following albums.
I fell in love with Adele last summer and haven’t stopped listening to her since! I am sure the record company was trying to hide her size from the judgemental eye of the public. People buy things based on how appealing they are to the eye all the time. It takes years of practice to look beyond the packaging and into the reality of the product. We have been so brainwashed by the media about how ugly being fat is, that many of us would probably overlook this MAGNIFICANT singer if we saw her in all her glory on the cover.
Thank god for wisdom, growing older, and becoming wise to what I believe beauty is, or for that matter, what a good product is.
ps….her sound is a cross between (and I cringe to say this) Amy Winehouse-without all the sexual connotations-and Regina Spektor/Colbie Callet types. Soulful, thoughtful, dynamic, wistful and fantastic vocals. And all this from a gal who was just 19 when this album came out (hence the title of the CD and number of songs on it).
That’s right, I forgot to add this to my list of CD’s to buy. Thanks for reminding me. The cover art reminds me of Jill Scott’s first CD. They did the same thing to her. On the front cover she is hiding behind her hat, and the back cover features a photo from when she was a little girl. All this to keep new audiences from knowing what she really looked like. So sad that this seems to be a necessary evil in the music industry.
Re Martha Wash: She actually had that happen to her with three different acts that gave credit for her vocals to someone else (Black Box’s three U.S. hits, Seduction’s “You’re My One and Only (True Love),” and the C&C Music Factory song). She sued all three times and won credit and royalties. Yay for her.
I’ll have to check out this Adele, she sounds promising.
I find it interesting that she is UK size 14/16 and that’s a big deal. A UK 14 is a U.S. 10. MY OWN size. I don’t feel in the least bit heavy of self-conscious.
What a world.
regardless of what marketing does to hide her shape, her outlook and statements (AND VOICE!!!) are amazing. Go Adele!
I’ve been listening to Adele for a few months, I quite like her.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you were right about the album cover, hopefully she won’t let the industry pressure get to her.
Ooooo… I’m going to check out Adele’s music.
I agree whole-heartedly with the point about Adele bringing much needed diversity to the music industry. It always disappoints me when I hear some beautiful song on the radio and the woman sounds like she might actually have curves…. but then I see some promo photo and she’s a barbie clone like the rest of them.
To be clear, if your body type makes you look like a celeb or a model – more power to you. I don’t mean to bring you down. But, I know that more than just one body type has musical talent and I’d love to see more women of all body types rocking the music scene.
–AGR
I definitely need to check her out!
I agree with Anne’s comment – I’m also a (US) 10-12 and I don’t feel it’s out of the ordinary. But I know that if I tried to make it in show business I’d be quickly pounced on to lose 30 pounds.
On a related note though – I think there may be some PR spin around that size. If you see images of her, she’s a nice curvy girl who seems more like a US 14-16 than a UK one. For example –
http://www.virginmedia.com/images/adele-431×500.jpg
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article890698.ece
(not sure if links are allowed – but type adele into google image search and you’ll see more full-body shots).
Which is even more frustrating that she (or her record label) can’t own up to her true size when she’s trumpeting how happy she is about her weight. Either that or she’s recently lost weight despite her outspokenness. Either way it’s a bit disheartening.
adele’s loved by every one in uk, we love her! she’s a great role model to girls my age. her voice is amazing and she proves it doesn’t matter what size you are. she’s a breath of fresh air from groups like girls aloud, where even the once curvier kinmberly is now shrinking. lily allens also good, she doesn’t really care what others think, we’re getting better with images.
but just one thing i don’t get… why does the media moan when someone is “fat”(more like healthy), but then they moan even more when the poor woman’s been pressured to practically starve.
it’s so annoying and the models in shop windows, hello? not everyone has curves in just the right places. it’s annoying!
sorry about that ramble, i admire adele, not my kind of music but she’s a role model
she deserves more respect form the media.