Entertainment

Divorce, a proposal and new tracks: The key moments from Adele’s Oprah interview

Adele has spoken openly about her divorce, its impact on her son, and how people reacted to her weight loss in a wide-ranging interview with chat show legend Oprah Winfrey.

The 33-year-old also performed tracks from her new album 30 at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on the CBS special, ahead of its release later this week.

Here are the key moments from her performances and interview on Sunday night.

Adele was worried her new album was a ‘bit too private’

Speaking to Winfrey in the same garden where the former chat show host interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Adele said she was worried that her upcoming album, which she has previously admitted was written while going through her divorce, could be too personal.

“I think the reason I’m so brave to do it in my career so far is because music helped me in any situation and I would like to do the same for people who are so alone… to be reminded that they’re not alone,” she said.

“There were moments where I was writing the record and I thought that might be a bit too private, too about myself to put out.

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“But nothing is as scary as what I’ve been through over the past few years behind closed doors.

“So I’m not frightened about what people might or might not do.”

Undated handout photo issued by Columbia Records of singer Adele who has released comeback single Easy On Me, her first track in six years, which is taken from her upcoming album, 30, which will be released in November. Issue date: Friday October 15, 2021.
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Adele’s new album is released this week. Pic: Colombia Records

It was the first time her son Angelo had seen her perform live

Her performance during the two-hour special was also the first time her son, Angelo, had watched her perform live on stage – something she said made her nervous.

Adele also told Winfrey that 30 was dedicated to her son, and is a way of showing him “who I am”.

She said: “The whole album is not about him, it’s about me and I just wanted him to hear me talking madly, deeply about who I am and how I feel.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have that conversation with him in real life, so he can go and listen to it.”

Also in the audience at Griffith Observatory were James Corden, Drake and Lizzo, with Adele telling the crowd she was s******* herself for the performance.

Singer Adele, left, and Rich Paul, center, attend an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
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Adele with new partner US sports agent Rich Paul (centre). Pic: AP

Adele publicly addressed her weight loss – saying she wasn’t “shocked” by the reaction

She mentioned it briefly during her stint on Saturday Night Live, but Adele opened up to Winfrey about her weight loss.

The singer said that she had never set out to lose almost 100lbs (45kg), and that she always has been, and always will be, body-positive.

“My body has been objectified my entire career, I’m too big, I’m too small, I’m hot or I’m not,” she said.

“I never looked up to anyone because of their weight.

“I [was] body-positive then and I’m body-positive now – but it’s not my job to validate how people feel about their bodies.

“I feel bad if anyone feels horrible about themselves but that’s not my job. I’m trying to sort my own life out.”

She also boasted that she can now deadlift 160lbs (72kgs) and that she told her trainer she wanted to be an Olympian.

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We heard new tracks from 30 for the first time

We’ve already heard Easy On Me, her first single off 30, but Adele treated the LA crowd to three more tracks during her performance.

Fans heard I Drink Wine, Hold On and Love Is A Game, as well as the aforementioned Easy On Me from the new album.

The crowd also heard a number of classic Adele tracks including Hello, Rolling In The Deep and her Bond-theme Skyfall.

Two fans in the crowd got engaged with the help of Adele

Two loved-up fans, Quentin and Ashley, used Adele’s Griffith Observatory performance to get engaged – with the singer helping them out.

Adele asked the crowd to be quiet before Ashley was blindfolded and led on stage, where Quentin popped the question.

The singer then stepped out, stunning Ashley, and invited them to sit on the front row with Lizzo.

She then performed Make You Feel My Love, saying in-between lines: “She’s crying her eyes out!”.

30 is released later this week.