Adele’s not a brand
ADELE has urged her fellow musicians to rethink their approach to new releases, insisting artists should maintain an air of mystery around their music to keep fans interested.
The Hello superstar admits she often grows bored with singers who start to promote their albums months before they are released, because then there’s nothing for anyone to look forward to.
“I’m not throwing shade at anybody, but when you have a six-month build up, don’t expect me to be there the day your album comes out, because I’m bored,” the Brit told Time magazine.
“It doesn’t matter how amazing it is. You put seven songs out. I’ve heard the album. I’ve heard everything you want to say about it. I’ve heard it all over radio. Don’t expect me to not lose interest before it’s even happened.”
The 27-year-old believes the music industry focuses on turning artists into brands, which she says leads to ego problems.
“I don’t like (the) word brand,” Adele said. “It makes me sound like a fabric softener, or a packet of crisps (chips). I’m not that. But there’s personality in an artist, and if you’re expecting people to let you in and give themselves to you, you have to be a whole package.
“I feel like some artists – and this isn’t shading any artist, just me trying to come up with my own explanation – the bigger they get, the more horrible they get, and the more unlikeable. And I don’t care if you make an amazing album – if I don’t like you, I ain’t (sic) getting your record.”
Adele is also not a fan of streaming projects online as she feels music should be an experience, an opinion reflected in her decision not to release her record-breaking album 25 to sites like Spotify.
“I don’t use streaming,” she explains. “I buy my music. I download it, and I buy a physical (copy) just to make up for the fact that someone else somewhere isn’t. It’s a bit disposable, streaming. I know that streaming music is the future, but it’s not the only way to consume music. Music should be an event.”