On November 29, 2010, “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele was released. The empowered bluesy-gospel breakup anthem became her breakthrough hit, skyrocketing Adele to international fame and chart-topping success. As the lead single for her second album, “21,” it went on to receive Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Short Form Music Video at the 2012 Grammy Awards. While channeling her heartbreak into a critically and commercially celebrated tune, Adele provided us with the perfect theme song for moving on with a vengeance. Today, Adele is still one of the hottest musicians with three number one albums, 15 Grammys and sold-out world tours.
Like many other great classic hits, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” – a title based on British slang meaning to have someone who has your back no matter what – was inspired by a painful breakup. As she explained in an interview, she had just ended her “first real relationship.” The day after the break-up, she went into the studio with songwriter and producer Paul Epworth, wanting to write a weepy ballad.
However, Epworth encouraged Adele to tap into her anger instead – “a fire in her belly” as she described it. At one point during the three hours that it took to write the song, Adele had Epworth feel her heartbeat as she became emotional about her recent loss. The pace of her heartbeat became the driving beat of “Rolling in the Deep.” With the opening lyrics (“There’s a fire starting in my heart/Reaching a fever pitch, and it’s bringing me out the dark”), Adele lays her heart on the line in the song with an unfiltered yet assertive rawness that reaches a fever pitch in the chorus (“We could have had it all/(You’re gonna wish you never had met me)/Rolling in the deep”).
Aside from the success of “Rolling in the Deep,” her album “21” generated four other hit songs like “Someone Like You,” “Rumour Has It,” “Set Fire To The Rain,” and “Turning Tables,” making it one of the best-selling albums of all time with 31 million copies sold worldwide.
Born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins in Tottenham, a north London district, at 14 she was accepted into London’s famous public performing arts high school, the BRIT School. In her last year at the school, a friend posted Adele’s three-song demo on MySpace.
Several labels took notice and she signed with the indie-label XL almost immediately after meeting with their A&R guy. Her 2008 debut album “19,” that included hits “Chasing Pavements” and “Cold Shoulder,” won her Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female
Pop Vocal Performance.
Her most recent album, “25,” with hit singles like “Hello” and “When We Were Young,” won Adele multiple awards at the 2017 Grammys and BRIT Awards. In “25,” she explores the themes of regret and motherhood. However, even though Adele has evolved past her epic 2010 breakup song, its empowering message continues to help anchor and empower countless listeners dealing with loss.