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Breakthrough There were hints that a star was in the making when Adele took home a pair of Grammy Awards in 2009, and when the British-born, Beverly Hills-based marvel followed with her brilliant breakup ballad “Rolling in the Deep” a year later – blowing past already sky-high expectations – she rocketed into that rare air of global superstardom, where she remains to this day. Adele’s vibrant voice and vengeance-laced lyrics fired up a cauldron of emotions that drove fans crazy while spinning the 3-minute and 48-second track into a global sensation. “Rolling in the Deep” shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list and then went on an unprecedented record-setting spree by landing on a dozen charts, leading Billboard to proclaim it the biggest crossover hit of the last quarter-century. From rock and pop/adult to rhythm and blues, hip hop, and Latin, it was savored and devoured across all genres. Only five other artists had ever made their imprint on such diverse lists – Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Eminem,

Katy Perry, and SuzanneVega – but the catch is that all of them needed multiple songs to do it.

Fueled by the sting of a recent breakup and encouraged by a producer to latch onto those emotions rather than composing weepy-filled lines that muddle many country tunes, Adele strung together the now-famous lyrics during a three-hour haze of dazzling songwriting. The song’s title relates to the British slang term of being with someone who has your back all day, every day. And Adele had

done just that for her fans, stepping up and providing an uplifting dose of marvelous messaging for anyone who has

ever had their heart broken.

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Adele