Artists in this Article
More so than any other artist, Adele is having the year of her life. But well before she topped the Hot 100 chart with "Rolling in the Deep" and the Billboard 200 with "21" for much of 2011, Adele Adkins' extraordinary pipes were enough to impress us.
Adele: The Billboard Cover Story
Watch Jeremih Cover Adele's "Rumour Has It"
In archived video from June 2008 -- several months after the release of her debut album, "19" -- Adele stopped by Billboard's New York offices to perform for and mingle with our staff. Watch below as Adele performs second single "Chasing Pavements."
During the same video session, Adele discussed her humble beginnings on Myspace back in 2004, and the fact that she had never heard of her UK label, XL, before they signed her.
"I just used to sing just because I liked it -- I still sing 'cause I like it -- but I never thought it would get me anywhere," she said. "So when XL offered me a record deal, I thought, 'Oh, OK, maybe I can get away with it.'"
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