Music Presentation November 2013 Adele Blue adkins Music Presentation November 2013

Biography Born May 5th, 1988 in London, England Began showing interest in music at age 3 Was raised mainly by her mother, Penny, as her father was an alcoholic and was absent during most of her childhood Adele Laurie Blue Adkins is not only a singer but a songwriter of most of her music. She was born May 5th of 1988 in London, England. She attended BRIT school for Performing Arts and Technology which is a free school for the performing arts. It is said that she begin showing an interest in music at the age of 3. She grew up being a huge fan of artists such as Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. Adele grew up as an only child to her mother, Penny Adkins. At the age of 4 her father, Mark left her and her mother. Adele stayed in contact with her father until she was a teenager. Her father, Mark, had problems with alcohol and eventually their relationship came to an end. Since she didn't have a father figure most of her life she turned to her mother for support.

BRIT school for Performing Arts Biography Attended BRIT school for Performing Arts While in attendance she put together a demo of 3 songs for a class assignment which she later posted on her MySpace page Executives at XL Recordings heard her demos, contacted her, and in November of 2006 signed Adele to a record deal While Adele attended school at the BRIT school for Performing Arts and Technology she put together a demo with 3 songs included for a class assignment. According to biography.com it says that she posted her music on her MySpace page. It then goes on to say “when executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, in November of 2006, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed her to a record deal.” BRIT school for Performing Arts

Biography In January of 2008 Adele released her first Album, titled 19, in Europe Her album is titled 19 as that is how old she was when she started to record music for it Most popular songs from the album are Hometown Glory and Chasing Pavements 2009 Adele took home “Best New Artist” at the Grammys BBC names Adele the “Sound of 2008” Adele's first album, titled 19, was released in Europe on January 25th, 2008. The genre of this album would include types of music such as soul, pop, blues, rock, and jazz. Her album was titled 19 because that was her age when she started to record the music for it. The two most popular songs that came from that album are titled “Hometown Glory” and “Chasing Pavements”. This album was released in the United States through Columbia Records. In 2009, Adele took home the “Best New Artist” award at the Grammys. According the BBC, she was also named the “Sound of 2008”. Adele was also given the “Critics' Choice” prize award at the BRIT Awards.

Biography Adele’s second Album, 21, was released in January of 2011 Within the first week 352,000 copies were sold At the Grammy awards show Adele won 6 different times Awards won included Album of the Year and Best Solo Performance Adele's next album titled 21 was even more popular than her first album. Her album was once again titled for the age that she was when she started recording her newest hits. Within the first week of 21 being released 352,000 copies were sold. At the Grammy awards show in 2012 Adele won 6 different times. Her biggest win was “Album of the Year”. The very next year Adele won another Grammy. This time it was for “Best Solo Performance” for her songs titled “Set Fire to the Rain”. In that same year she also won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe award.

Biography Has a son named Angelo who was born October of 2012 It is rumored that Adele will release her next album in mid-2014 According to biography.com again in 2012 Adele announced on her website that she was pregnant with her first child with her boyfriend, Simon Konecki. Her son was born in October of 2012 and they named him Angelo. It is rumored that Adele will be releasing her 3rd album in “Mid-2014” (idolator.com). Something that’s admirable about Adele is that she at least co-writes all of her songs if not completely writes them on her own. This is a talent that she learned when attending the performing arts school as a child and teenager.

Composition History – Hometown glory Adele’s first song, Hometown Glory, was first introduced in 2007 In October of 2007 Adele said this about Hometown Glory after her mother tried to persuade her to leave London: “I played it to her as a protest song and said this is why I'm staying” Song was featured on the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy in 2008 which helped to attract the audience in the U.S. In 2009 this song helped Adele to win “Best New Artist” at the Grammys The first song that I selected is titled “Hometown Glory”. According to songfacts.com “this song, which captures the bittersweet beauty of London life, was written by the 18-year-old Adele in 10 minutes after her mother tried to persuade her to leave London for University”. In October of 2007, Adele told the Observer Music Monthly “I played it to her as a protest song and said this is why I'm staying”. Adele wrote the song all on her own and then the song was produced by Jim Abbiss. Hometown Glory was first introduced in 2007 as a limited edition on her friend's recording label even though she already had been signed to XL Recordings studio. It was later featured on her album, 19, which was done through XL Recordings and then later in the United States by Columbia Records. This song is featured as number 12 on her album. As stated by songfacts.com this song was featured on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy in 2008 which helped to attract the audience in the United States. In 2009, it helped her to win a Grammy award for “Best New Artist”.

Composition History – Someone Like you Adele wrote the song Someone like you with Dan Wilson Along with being the producer and writer of her own music Adele led in vocals, being the composer, and the designing of production This song was loved by many as it didn't include any “synthesizers, auto-tune, or any kind of production sheen” (songfacts.com) The second song that I selected to analyze is called “Someone Like You”. This song was written by both Adele and Dan Wilson. The song was produced by both Adele herself and once again, Dan Wilson. This song is featured as track 11 on her album titled, 21. Along with being the producer and writer of her own music Adele led in vocals, being the composer, and the designing of production. This song was loved by many as it didn't include any “synthesizers, auto-tune, or any [other] kind of production” (songfacts.com).

Composition History – Someone Like you This song was written from the bottom of her heart It is described that when recording the song she would constantly find herself on her knees and having to pick herself up from not being too upset Adele said the following to Q magazine about the song Someone Like You: it's about my last relationship, which was my first sort of life-defining one. He was a little older than me and he'd had a lot more experiences... No one did anything wrong; we just grew out of each other. But it was so intense”. What makes this song so special and heartfelt is that Adele wrote this song from the bottom of her heart. It is described that when recording the song she would constantly find herself on her knees and having to pick herself up from not being too upset. She said the following about her performance on Jools Holland, “I got so upset wondering and hoping and wishing that my ex would be watching it, I went back to my dressing room and sobbed. Making a record is like standing in the middle of Trafalgar Square naked, you let everyone see your good bits and bad bits. I don't know what possesses me to do that, but I'm not good at anything else” (songfacts.com). When having an interview with Q magazine she said the following about the song Someone Like You “it's about my last relationship, which was my first sort of life-defining one. He was a little older than me and he'd had a lot more experiences... No one did anything wrong; we just grew out of each other. But it was so intense” (songfacts.com).

Composition History – Someone Like you Much success was experienced because of this song Song was on the Billboard Hot 100 which was the first piano-and-vocal only ballad to top the list since the charts started in 1958 Multiple Grammy awards were won including Best Pop Solo Performance In terms of writing the song it has been said that Adele wrote it quickly on her acoustic guitar. The story line matches exactly what she was going through. Broke up with someone she thought she would marry but he was never interested in marriage. A few months after they broke up she found out he was engaged to someone. Adele said “I wrote that song on the end of my bed. I had a cold. I was waiting for my bath to fun. I'd found out he'd got engaged. And it blows my mind how things cross over like that”. On a positive note this song became very popular and Adele accepted many awards on behalf of the song. Some success included being the first album to sell more than 3 million copies in the UK within 1 year, being on the Billboard Hot 100, and multiple Grammy awards such as “Best Pop Solo Performance” for this song. A Wall Street Journal story revealed a few different aspects of the song and why it creates an emotional reaction to listeners. Songfacts.com says “it's very much about small, unexpected changes in the melody. What they call “ornamental notes” appear all over the song, which create a kind of melancholy tension. Tearjerkers often move from soft to loud and contact some dramatic shifts at key movements”.

Composition History – Rolling in the Deep This song was written within 3 hours the day after she broke up with her boyfriend When she arrived at the studio to record the song she wanted to do a lovelorn ballard but her produce, Paul Epworth, persuaded her to write a “more feisty song” The last song that was selected is titled “Rolling in the Deep”. This song can also be found on Adele's second album, 21. It is listed as track number 1. This song was written by Adele herself along with Paul Epworth who produced this track as well. According to songfacts.com Adele wrote this song “in three hours the day after she broke up with her boyfriend. Arriving upset at the studio the day after they split, she wanted to write a lovelorn balled. Producer Paul Epworth persuaded her to write a more feisty song.”

Composition History – Rolling in the Deep This song helped Adele to break the record for the most weeks for a woman to be at the top of Billboards album chart Sold over 730,000 copies in it’s 21st week at number one Contributed to six Grammy award wins Adele described to Rolling Stone what “Rolling in the Deep” means. She said “adaption of a kind of slang, slur phrase in the UK called 'roll deep,' which means to have someone, always have someone that has your back. And you're never on your own, if you're ever in trouble you've always got someone who's going to come and help you fight it or whatever like that. And that's how I felt in the relationship that the record's about, especially 'Rolling in the Deep'. That's how I felt, you know, I thought that's what I was always going to have, and um, it ended up not being the case” (songfacts.com). As with some of Adele's other songs she also experienced success with this song. Song of the successes include breaking the record for most weeks for a woman at the top of Billboard's album chart, selling over 730,000 copies in its 21st week at number one, and six Grammy award wins. Adele had a throat microsurgery in November of 2011 and at the 2012 Grammy awards she performed “Rolling in the Deep” as her comeback song.

Listening Guide – Hometown Glory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9Fzwuf43c Elapsed Time Form Event Description 0:00 Introduction Piano Only. 12 bar introduction is done. Tempo during this portion of the song is slow. 1:06 Verse 1 The tempo includes slow vocals and fast piano. First 3 lines of the song are a heavier melancholy tope. Repeating of chords in 1/8 on the piano is done. 1:40 Chorus Still only uses vocals and piano. Rhythm stays with the 4/4 timing. Crescendo with each line. Dynamics during the last 4 lines of the song is in a transition from mezzo piano to mezzo forte.

Listening Guide – Hometown Glory Elapsed Time Form Event Description 2:11 Verse 2 Dynamics are in mezzo piano. 2:45 Bridge Change in melody. Dynamics are continuing in mezzo piano. Rhythm stays the same with the 4/4 timing. 3:14 Improvisation Improvisational singing is done. During this part I was able to hear a crescendo, decrescendo, and then another crescendo. 4:18 Closing Dynamics are pianissimo and piano is used to close with no vocals.

Listening Guide – Someone Like You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQl3WQQoQ0 Elapsed Time Form Event Description 0:00 Introduction Introduction starts with a rhythm of 4/4 timing. Mood is melancholy and is also bluesy. Tempo is slow. 0:13 Verse 1 Timbre is piano with vocals. Tempo stays slow with moderations throughout the first verse. The main melody is introduced. 0:42 Pre Chorus Tempo is slightly faster and this portion of the song is also slightly louder. 1:13 Chrous Chorus is much louder in terms of the piano and vocals. Lyrics here have a brassy tone to them.

Listening Guide – Someone Like You Elapsed Time Form Event Description 1:51 Verse 2 This verse is quieter and can be expressed as a piano dynamic. Tone feels thicker during the lyrics “bound by the surprise of our glory days”. 3:05 Bridge Dynamics jump to forte. The only harmony in the song is found is this part. The harmony starts between 2 voices. 4:29 Closing There are no vocals but only a piano that fades out. The general texture of the song is piano and single voice.

Listening Guide – Rolling in the deep http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw Elapsed Time Form Event Description 0:00 Introduction Rhythm is in 4/4 time. Mood is soulful blues. Tempo is medium throughout the song. Texture is polyphonic. Introduction is using 2 bars with repeating chords. 0:05 Verse 1 Dynamics are mezzo forte. Timbre is guitar and vocals. 0:42 Pre Chorus Dynamics are not forte. Timbre includes vocals, drums, and guitar but adds in a tambourine, piano, and cymbals. 0:59 Chorus Dynamics increase to fortissimo. The cymbals crash to add in dramatics. Backup singers are introduced.

Listening Guide – Rolling in the deep Elapsed Time Form Event Description 1:18 Verse 2 Dynamics slow down to mezzo forte. Backup singers are not included in the second verse. There is clapping that continues to accentuate the beat. 2:31 Verse 3 Timbre includes vocals, guitar, clapping, and backup singers. 2:50 Bridge The bridge gets quieter and can be explained as having dynamics of mezzo piano. 3:39 Coda or Closing Timbre is just vocals, the clapping, and a piano.

References and bibliography "Adele." 2013. The Biography Channel website. 03 September 2013< http://www.biography.com/people/adele-20694679>.   “Adele – 19 Album Lyrics.” LetsSingIt. 03 September 2013 <http://artists.letssingit.com/adele-album-19-f3wjnk>. Donnelly, Matt. “Meet Adele's Adorable Son Angelo.” Yahoo! omg! 27 June 2013. 03 September 2013. <http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/meet-adele-adorable-son-angelo-photo-211500284.html>. Lansky, Sam. “Adele Is Recording Her New Album, Due Out In “Mid-2014”. “Music News Reviews and Gossip on Idolatorcom RSS. 26 April 2013. 03 September 2013. <http://idolator.com/7454989/adele-is-recording-her-new-album-due-out-in-mid-2014>. "Hometown Glory.” Songfacts. 03 September 2013 <http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=9776>. "Someone Like You.” Songfacts. 03 September 2013 <http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=21908>. "Rolling In The Deep.” Songfacts. 03 September 2013 <http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=21312>.