9781422271247

their music, their lyrics, their wardrobe, their non-stop energy, and especially their overflowing confidence on stage. They sang the songs they wanted to, and they did so with a bold, fun, carefree attitude that Adele found invigorating and inspiring. There weren’t a lot of female role models that she felt a bond with during her childhood years, but this fivesome had flair, and their music was life-changing for her.

“It was a huge moment in my life when they came out. It was girl power. It was five ordinary girls who did so well and just got out. I was like, ‘I want to get out.’”

Changing Course Her early middle school years provided little enjoyment, and her enthusiasm for getting up for school every day and being an engaged and devoted student was fading fast. Between being around many students who didn’t care about their futures to a slate of unfulfilling classes on her schedule that Adele found incredibly boring and uninteresting every day, her path to a brighter future had stalled. Luckily, her mom, while juggling jobs, paying bills, and handling all of the challenges that accompany raising a child as a single mother, wasn’t too busy or too tired to recognize the problems that had surfaced in Adele’s life. She knew that a new course had to be plotted— and fast—before her child’s life took a wrong turn that would forever sabotage her future. Understanding her love for music, she encouraged her to apply to the prestigious BRIT School, the leading performing and creative arts school in the United Kingdom. The 13-year-old listened to her mom and submitted a terrific application to the school that showcased her passion for music. As someone who would go on to craft mesmerizing lyrics years later, it was no surprise that the words she strung together on her application grabbed the faculty’s attention and earned her an audition.

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Adele