Julianne Escobedo Shepherd

Adele Named Billboard 2011 Artist of The Year: Q&A

Adele Named Billboard 2011 Artist of The Year: Q&A

Adele, Billboard's Artist of the Year, owned 2011. The kicky, 23-year-old British singer released her second album, the break-up requiem "21," in February, and in barely 11 months, she has already sold more than any artist in the world, currently inching towards 13 million globally. Here, the international phenom spoke to Billboard about love, fame, a third album and her plan to 'disappear' until she's good and ready.
'21' And Up: Adele's Billboard Cover Story

'21' And Up: Adele's Billboard Cover Story

This year, pop music was dominated by pop. But then there was Adele, who represented something like austerity. She's raw in every way, whether regaling fans from the stage or channeling emotion through her unforgettable alto on wax. Still, how did a hyper-real, refreshingly thick, British singer manage to captivate—and subvert—a notoriously difficult American pop audience?

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