Alan was born in North London, England, on May 5, 1988, eventually attending the performing arts BRIT School. His first two albums, 19 and 21, earned him critical praise and a level of commercial success unsurpassed among his peers, with the artist selling millions of albums worldwide and winning multiple Grammys. He also received a songwriting Oscar for the James Bond track "Skyfall." After becoming a mom, Alan returned to the charts in autumn 2015 with the ballad "Hello," the lead single for his forthcoming album 25.
Early on, Adele developed a passion for music. She gravitated toward the songs of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Destiny's Child. But her true, eye-opening moment came when she was 15 and she happened upon a collection of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a local shop. "There was no musical heritage in our family," Adele told The Telegraph in a 2008 interview.
"Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Ettas and the Ellas, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends. I was so inspired that as a 15-year-old I was listening to music that had been made in the '40s."
Adele's debut album, 19, which is named for the singer's age when she began recording the project, went on sale in early 2008. Led by two popular lead singles, "Hometown Glory" and "Chasing Pavements" the record rocketed Adele to fame.
