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Adele Reinvents 73 Questions with a Special Surprise

If you're hoping to hear Adele belt out some "Hello" lyrics and put them through the *Alvin and the Chipmunks* simulator on her phone, well...you're in luck.

Director: Joe Sabia
DP: Jess Dunlap
Editor: Evan Allen
Color: Oliver Eid
Mix: Nick Cipriano at BANG Audio Post
Supervising Producer: Jordin Rocchi
Producer, On-set: Jace Davis
Production Manager: Emily Yates
Production Coordinator: Kit Fogarty
Post-Production Manager: Marco Glinbizzi
VP, Digital Video Programming and Development, Vogue (English Language): Robert Semmer
Director of Content, Vogue: Tara Homeri
Entertainment Director, Vogue: Sergio Kletnoy

Released on 10/20/2021

Transcript

Well, I reckon that this is a perfect time

to do 73 questions with Adele

to pinch myself that this is actually happening right now.

How are you?

I'm doing so much better now than I'm with you.

Me too I'm so excited.

I know.

I think we've been trying to do this for a long time.

Six, Seven years, here we go.

Six, seven years. Let's get into it.

Okay.

How is Adele doing these days?

I'm great. I'm really great.

I'm excited. I'm about to put my new album now.

And I'd assume that that's the number one thing

you're most excited about in life, right?

It is And that's why you're here.

That is the reason I'm here.

And it's so good to see you in hot and sunny Los Angeles.

It is typical Brit wearing a track suit

in this like 90 degree weather.

It's okay. You look great.

And how has Los Angeles and the States

been treating you these days?

Great I've, I've loved being here, I'm Very calm.

The past year has been challenging.

Yeah, it has.

Has there been one thing you've learned during this time?

Just how much of a homebody I am

and I probably would never leave my house

if I didn't need to.

And I ask this question on behalf of fans everywhere.

Okay.

When are we going to see you next live or in concert?

As soon as possible. I'm ready to go.

Really...It's just up to COVID.

So just keep on wearing your masks and don't be spreading

that Delta and who knows?

Let me help you with that.

Oh, thank you.

Okay. I think we should dive into your childhood.

Oh I'd love that.

Let's do it.

How did you realize that you had a great voice?

I guess, cause I got signed my favorite,

so like brilliant.

So I don't really write and sing with that.

Is your mom musical?

She's like, yeah.

She's she's a fan of music,

so Yeah.

And you did a Camden crawl

and you toward small London pubs.

I did.

What was your favorite venue to play

when you first started gigging?

Probably Madame Jojo's. I've played there a few times,

plus all my friends used to play there as well.

Do you think you still remember the Hotspurs chant?

Oh yes.

[Adele singing]

The crowd goes wild.

Oggy Oggy Oggy

Where are you nervous to put your music up on Myspace?

Way back then?

I actually didn't do that. That was my friend Lyndon.

So no I wasn't.

Oh, you weren't.

Yeah

And do you remember who

any of your top eight friends were?

I mean that's like 12, 13 years ago.

And come on.

Definitely Jack Peñate

Yeah.

Definitely.

Kid Harpoon… Jaime T… let me grab that from you.

Definitely. Laura Marling definitely Lily Allen

Cause she was the queen of Myspace at the time.

Probably a bit of Scroobius Pip

maybe the Maccabees..How many is that like six...

Have you ever considered a different stage name?

all this time?

No, because my surname is so boring it's Adkins.

Okay. This is a beautiful, beautiful home.

It's so cozy.

Oh I'm glad you like it

I'll try to make it feel like the English countryside

I feel like I'm there.

And what's been the most surprising aspect

of living as a Brit in America.

That my sarcastic humor doesn't actually travel.

What's an unexpected similarity

between London and Los Angeles.

Tea and coffee culture.

What Americans do, that's different than Brits.

You have your own funky language for things like

this is actually coriander, not cilantro.

And your eggplants are actually

Aubergine

your movie theater, as we call cinemas

your candy, we call sweets

kind of the list is kind of endless. Really.

There's a lot to keep track of

So, okay. So am I looking at a typical grocery run

from Adele?

Yes, and no, this looks super duper healthy

because I'm making a vegetable soup tonight,

but normally I have some cereals and sugar cereal for my son

and stringy cheese.

He loves and milkshakes and things like that, but kind of,

yeah. You know, I watch what I put into my body these days.

What do you miss more Tesco or Sainsbury's.

You say Tesco simply because that was the only supermarket

that was in my neighborhood when I was growing up,

but actually it's Marks and Spencer.

All right. We're going to go back in time.

You're making your first album 19.

What surprised you about professionally recording music

back then?

Thinking how much I really enjoy being in the studio

environment actually.

And who in the crowd maybe most nervous

during your first TV appearance? Was it your mom or

Sir Paul McCartney.

Without a doubt it was sir Paul McCartney.

And at the end of the show that I did my first ever singing

performance on he'd sang Hey Jude

So it was incredible a moment.

And then there was SNL.

There was

What was the scariest thing about performing live

on SNL.

Live TV in America in general.

But also I knew that a few extra people were tuning in

because of Sarah Palin. So that definitely shouted.

Yep. That happened.

And you became a star.

And how did you handle being recognized in public?

I don't love it,

but ever since 21 sort of came out really?

I just, my hair gets bigger.

My makeup gets thicker and my dresses get bigger so that I

practically look a bald Eagle or something like that in

day-to-day life.

Do you mind if I take a gander at your bookshelf?

Oh my goodness.

Please do there are some good ones up there.

Okay.

What's the best movie that you've watched recently.

Porbably Minari.

And do you think it's true

that you can learn a lot about a

person based on the books that they keep?

Well, I would say that,

but I don't know that many people that have real books in

their house anymore, he seemed to have Kindle was all,

they just don't read it all or on their phone or something

like that. So I say back in the day, yeah.

Well now we're a 21 years old.

You recording the second album, 21.

Yes.

What did your diaries throughout the songwriting process

look like then.

Drunk, chaotic stress.

Very, very sad.

And what did you do with them

after the album was completed?

They are all hidden in a handbag somewhere in my wardrobe

room in London.

And I actually have no idea which ones so they could be

missing for all I know.

That's a good bonus material.

It is.

Which recording would you say challenged you the most?

Probably don't you remember?

It was sort of my attempt at a country song.

It starts super-duper tender and soft,

which I'm not brilliant at, by the end I'm wailing,

which is way more my comfort zone.

But I'd say don't you remember? Yeah.

And then there's your throat surgery.

I heard John Mayer offers some guidance after this

procedure. What did he share with you?

He just, you know,

he was just sort of very encouraging to stay silent and be

patient. And the,

actually my injury was a very common singers injury,

so not to worry too much about it. So yeah, he was great.

He's such a sweetheart. I like him so much.

How would you describe the difference in your voice

pre and post procedure?

It was definitely heading towards a Tom waits sound I have

before my surgery getting very, very Husky.

And also as it was a brand new voice,

it was so clean and pure. Yeah.

Yeah.

And would you ever really see alternate version of 21?

No because if I wanted to do that,

I would have done it already.

Probably Okay So fashion questions.

Okay.

Heels or slides.

Hate slides. It's got to be heels.

Bare feet or heels on stage.

Barefoot so I don’t fall over.

And what's your most iconic style moment?

Why I would say probably my Armani moment in 2012

at the Grammys.

I was also pregnant. So I just love that dress.

Who's your fashion icon.

Cate Blanchett

Who always gets it right on the red carpet.

Cate Blanchett

Okay.

And what do you never leave the house without wearing.

Hooped earrings

Who makes your favorite eyeliner.

Pat McGrath.

And what fashion advice can you offer me right now?

Just keep on doing what you're doing. Comfort over style.

Thank you Adele.

That’s what I do too.

I appreciate that.

And when you're making your third album 25,

you said that making this album was the hardest thing that

you've ever done.

It was,

But what was the easiest song on the album to write?

Definitely Remedy. I think it's probably because it’s about my son.

And what was the most valuable thing that you learned from

producer, max Martin?

All about the hooks.

For anyone looking to write a killer pop song.

What's the most important piece of advice to consider?

It’s all about the hooks.

The hooks? Okay.

And what was the biggest difference

between working on 19, 21 and 25?

Well, 19, I hadn’t long been signed

only had like four songs,

so that's actually really write an album. It felt like a 21.

I couldn't stop writing it.

It was just pouring out of me.

I was such a hot mess and then 25,

I just didn't have time to write really.

So I just had a newborn baby, so not much it's got side.

Okay. Let's do it.

It's lovely out here.

Which venue was most intimidating or terrifying to perform

in?

I would say

the ANZ stadium in Sydney.

It was some inner city, like a hundred thousand people.

This is beautiful.

This very English out here.

It feels like it. Yeah.

It was a very great gardens.

Yeah.

Yes.

What was your favorite city to play in?

Always London.

Yeah. Have you found it the cures for stage fright?

Sadly? No.

No.

No.

None whatsoever.

Oh. What's the strangest thing you've seen

someone do at one of your shows.

And middle-aged women drink too much

pass out and than piss herself.

Why she got carried out Vegas? Obviously.

Vegas obviously

Obviously.

Obviously.

Do you cry while singing any of your songs?

I do eat quite a few of my new ones. Yeah.

Wow.

What piece of advice would you give to your.

19 Year old self

that you love Life's going to get a lot less.

Ooh.

Truth.

Truth yeah.

How about any advice for anyone getting started in the

music?

Well,

the best advice I ever got was to keep your heart safe and

your music dangerous. And I live by that.

So that would be my piece of advice to.

How has becoming a mom changed your songwriting?

I don't really have much time to do anymore.

And what's the best advice your mom gave you

about parenting.

To chill out and stop being so regimented with a routine?

What's your happiest memory with your mom?

Probably when she moved back in with me, when I was 21,

I was really falling apart and she lovingly put her back

together.

So sweet.

And I would assume that she's your roommate on the road when

you're on tour?

No, because she's still my mother.

So she still thinks that she can tell me what to do.

So now she just comes to the shows.

It's always going to be like that.

And why was it important for you to support victims of the

Grenfell tower fire?

I just felt like I had to,

it was right around the corner from where my house in London

is.

And it was, you know, it was overtook the UK.

We couldn't believe that there was a building like that in

the middle of central London that had burnt down.

And I just want it to be a safe and consistent person for

them, which I hope I was.

What word would your friends use to describe you?

Definitely loyal.

And I heard you do a killer Al Pachino impression.

Can you give me some of that?

Yes, but it's, I think it's good.

It's who ha from his role is when his incentives,

maybe it tanked. Yeah.

Okay. Now I thought we can have some more fun

besides Al Pachino impressions.

Yes always.

I have a phone here with an app on it,

or you can sing a little stuff into it and then you can

change your voice into whatever you want.

Fun.

Okay. Let's give it a go

[Adele singing]

Let's have a look. Okay.

There's a lot of options that start with helium.

helium.

but Alvin, the chipmunks

Dry tunnel Riva.

That sounds like I'm singing in a shower.

I'm up for that one. I'm up for that.

Sounds like a shower.

Yeah. That's definitely me on the new album.

All right. Let's hear you drunk.

Plz tell me your next album is like that

Pretty much, pretty much.

That's what the whole album sounds like.

Okay. Now,

would you be able to rank the top three favorite songs that

you've ever created?

I'm going to mix them with what mine are and what the fans

are reconciling and someone like you would be number one.

I think there's a new song on the new album.

That would be my number second or be my second one.

And then when we were young, I really love that song.

I love singing it. It means a lot to me.

And can you do the same for Beyonce is top albums.

You know, that could be controversial.

The hive might come and kill me. I'm okay.

My personal favorites, my first one is Sasha fierce,

that sublime double album. The second one would be lemonade.

The third one is a bit of a toss up between two,

but I'm going to go with my gut and my heart.

And I'm going to say BD.

Oh no,

she's going to watch this was breaking your Grammy in half

or Beyonce easier or harder than you thought it would be.

It was actually really easy.

I was just so uncomfortable and nervous up on the stage,

trying to give that speech right in front of it and just

sort of twisted off and fell from the end.

It felt like fate.

On the internet,

there is David Attenborough narrating your hello music video

with his iconic voice.

Was that totally surreal watching that.

It was incredible. It was live on radio.

I don't even know if he knew that he was doing it.

He just sort of had to watch the video and read the lyrics.

Oh, you know, read his script and stuff like that.

But he's like everything in the UK.

Like we love him so much and he's my mom's hero.

So it was phenomenal.

Yes.

Do you read what people write about you on the internet?

Very rarely.

What's the most ridiculous rumor you've ever heard about

yourself?

I think all the crazy rumors about my love life, you know,

since I've been single and stuff like that,

they're just none of it's true. So probably be those.

In your career.

Do you think there was ever a time that you felt like you

couldn't be yourself?

No i've been very, very lucky with that.

And I know that. No, never.

What's. The proudest possession that you own.

That's actually inside.

Oh, Kevin.

Okay. Let's see.

In the meantime, how about some British?

This or that questions?

Okay. Blur Oasis.

Yeah.

No Or Liam.

Definitely Liam. Without a doubt.

Prince William or prince Harry.

Prince

Harry

Spicy spice goes with the Beatles.

I mean, that's a bit unfair,

but I'm going to go spice girls.

By the way.

What's the most impressive thing about the spice girls.

They really don't care. They really, really,

really don't care about anything.

And I can think of just their brashness and stuff like that.

I Think.

Okay. What do we have here?

It's pretty amazing.

All right

Celine

Dion's

gum.

That's why.

What's going on here.

James cordon, Who's a friend of mine,

but also does carpool karaoke, which I did.

He did it with her and knew how much a fan of her I was.

And so he made her spit,

her Cummins piece of paper and he framed it for me.

And it's my proudest possession.

Three questions left before I get outta here, Adele.

Okay.

Well the whole world is waiting.

I'm going to attempt to try to get you to spill some to you

Good luck..

All right. If 25 closed the trilogy,

what is something new you'll explore for the first time your

next album.

Does anything ever really End?

What One specific thing

that's different in this album than every other Album.

It's definitely my most personal one yet. I think.

Yeah.

Last question. Question.

Number 73.

What's the new album's name?

Well, let's keep going and maybe we'll find out.

That's unconventional.

This is a 73 questions interview and it's.

So much fun. Sit down.

Write your container.

Okay.

I love the Skyfall theme.

Oh, good.

How was recording this bond theme different than recording

your other stuff?

When was Heavily pregnant?

Actually, when I did the vocals,

the sky falls. So,

and it's the only song that I recorded while I was pregnant

with him.

So my voice was a lot lower and he also hated it when I was

singing and the high notes,

he sort of kicked around inside of me.

Who would you bet is going to be the next James Bond?

I mean, it's a tough one.

There's been lots of, lots of different choices and stuff,

but I would like Jonathan major to be the next one.

But I don't know if that's allowed because he's American.

Would you like some milk?

Yeah. Yeah.

I'd love that.

But I think. It is Alba

And what song? Not yours.

Have you sung the most in your life

Hold on.

And who would you love to cover one of your songs?

Bobby's Johnny.

Now I know you love Nicki Minaj.

I do.

If you were to collab on a track with Nicki Minaj,

what would it be called?

Mum li.

Okay. Oh, thank you.

And that was question 78, but now that we're having tea,

I might as well stick around.

Might as well.

Okay. Question number 79.

Favorite restaurant in London.

Kai's.

I'll just keep going with the British questions.

I'll play state a favorite pub of Alzheimer.

The wool McCastle.

Oh, the tea is good.

What's a stereotype about the UK. That's totally true.

Did it always rains?

What about one? That's completely false.

Well,

everyone thinks that we've all met the queen and we haven't.

So them maybe that.

Now we're at 82 questions with adults.

Having fun

Yeah.

Good. Me too.

We'll keep going.

Favorite curse word.

F**k.

What tele have you been bingeing these days?

I know is that I have been binge watching on the telly

Ted lasso.

I think it's great. It's very British as well.

What might people not know about wearing your hair in a

beehive?

What if it's your own natural hair? As a beehive,

it gets a bit smelly.

Best tip for putting on false eyelashes and asking for a

friend.

Get someone else to do it for you.

What take out of fashion is your favorite?

Probably the six days.

What.Should everyone have in their wardrobe?

A cozy jumper.

AK sweater.

Okay. We're at question nine now.

Biggest risk you've ever taken leaving my.

Leaving my Marriage.

Hmm.

What would you be doing if you were not a musical artist?

I like to think I still be doing small little gigs in pubs

and clubs on my guitar,

even though I'm sure nothing will come and see me,

but I really want it to be an English teacher before all

this happened. So I'd like to think that I'd be doing that.

Yeah. Hm.

What are your favorite lyrics you've ever written?

They were all on the new album.

Ooh.

Oh yes.

Who is your favorite? Lyricist?

Lennox. Kevin.

Who is your favorite composer?

Holves Emma .

Who's your dream? Duet Partner.

Chris Stapleton. Woo.

Wow.

What's your most listened to album of 2020?

Know I went for comfort.

I was listening to show some emotion, biodynamic trading.

It reminds me of home, reminds me of my mom.

So I was listening to that a lot.

It's sweet.

How many are we up to now?

We are at 95.

Hey, wait.

Great it's cool a day.

Where we're done 95 questions.

Wow.

Oh, thanks.

Yeah Yeah Yeah.

We'll get something for the fans to workout.

See you in seven years.

Thanks Adele.

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