By Cheryl Mattox Berry
Pop singer Adele is a breath of fresh air in an industry dominated by female singers in skimpy outfits doing and saying outrageous things on social media.
Adele doesn’t need gimmickry to attract fans. Her soulful voice does the job. Her latest album, 25, sold 3.38 million copies the first week, the biggest sales week in music history.
I like her because she’s down to earth, popping off a four-letter word every now and then in interviews. She doesn’t take herself too seriously and criticizes other artists who let success who go to their head.
At 27, Adele is an old soul in a young woman’s body. She has written her own script for happiness and success, and it doesn’t follow the path of most contemporary entertainers.
For example, she put her career on hold to have a child. She doesn’t care about social media and hates the word “brand,” as I do. She pours her heart into songwriting, crafting lyrics like they used to do back in the day.
Fans anxiously awaited the arrival of 25 because we knew it would be special, and Adele didn’t disappoint. My 81-year-old mom, who is a country music fan, adores Adele, as does my daughter, who is 25.
I enjoyed seeing Adele on her publicity tour with appearances on talk shows, Saturday Night Live and the TV concert special. It was just the right amount of publicity. She didn’t go overboard like Taylor Swift, whose face is everywhere promoting a video, album or product.
The only thing I take issue with are the touched-up photos of Adele on the cover of Time and Vogue. Why not show her beautiful, full face, the one that fans know and love? That would be keeping it real, which is what Adele is all about.