Adele Biography: From Tottenham to Global Superstar — and Now the Big Screen

November 8, 2026

Daniel Reed

Adele is an English singer-songwriter whose voice has defined pop music for nearly two decades. Born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins in Tottenham, London, on 5 May 1988, she has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, won 16 Grammy Awards, and made 21 the best-selling album of the 21st century. After two sold-out residencies and a self-imposed break from music, she is now making her acting debut in Tom Ford’s film Cry to Heaven — and, in a surprise to fans, she will not sing in it.

Quick facts

Full name: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
Born: 5 May 1988, Tottenham, London, England
Nationality: English
Occupation: Singer-songwriter
Known for: 21, 25, 30, “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You”, “Hello”, “Skyfall”
Partner: Rich Paul (engaged since August 2024; not confirmed married)
Children: One son, Angelo (born 2012)
Honours: MBE; 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, 1 Academy Award

Early life and background

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on 5 May 1988 in Tottenham, north London, and was raised in London by her single mother, Penny Adkins. She grew up in Tottenham and south London, graduated from the BRIT School in Croydon in 2006, and signed with XL Recordings soon after, according to Britannica and Wikipedia.

Career

Her debut album 19 (28 January 2008) reached No. 1 in the UK on “Hometown Glory” and “Chasing Pavements”, and won her Best New Artist at the 2009 Grammys. Then came 21 (2011), which has sold more than 31 million copies — the best-selling album of the 21st century. It topped the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks, the longest run for a female artist, and won six Grammys in 2012, including Album, Record and Song of the Year.

In 2012 she co-wrote and recorded “Skyfall”, the James Bond theme. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 2013 ceremony, plus a Golden Globe and a Grammy. After throat surgery in 2011 she stepped back, then returned with 25 on 20 November 2015 — the first album to sell more than 3 million copies in a week in America (3.38 million), and the best-selling album worldwide of 2015 (17.4 million copies). It won five Grammys, including Album of the Year.

30 (19 November 2021), led by “Easy on Me”, was again the year’s best-selling album worldwide (5.54 million copies). She has sold more than 120 million records in total, and her Adele Live tour of 2016–2017 remains her last world tour.

Residencies and hiatus

Instead of touring, Adele settled into residencies. Weekends with Adele at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas was postponed a day before its planned January 2022 opening, finally opening on 18 November 2022 and ending with its 100th show on 23 November 2024. She then played Adele in Munich, ten shows from 2 to 31 August 2024 in a purpose-built open-air arena, selling more than 730,000 tickets — the highest attendance of any concert residency outside Las Vegas, according to Live Nation.

At the end of the Vegas run in November 2024, Adele said she would take a “big break” from music, having told German broadcaster ZDF in July 2024 that she had “no plans for new music at all”. She has not sung in public since 2024, and as of November 2026 no new album or tour has been announced.

Acting debut: Cry to Heaven

The creative project she chose instead is film. Adele will make her feature-film acting debut in Cry to Heaven, directed by Tom Ford — his third feature after A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016). The film adapts Anne Rice’s 1982 novel, set in the opera world of 18th-century Italy, with a cast including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicholas Hoult, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Paul Bettany. Her casting was first reported by Deadline on 12 November 2025; filming began in January 2026 and has since wrapped, with release now expected in 2027, per The Straits Times.

The detail that made headlines in November 2026 is that Adele will not sing in the film. As Yardbarker reported on 6 November 2026, citing The Times, her role does not sing, and she has turned down music-related film roles and musicals over the years as “too obvious”. Her exact character has not been confirmed, though she is rumoured to be playing a mother. Her only previous screen acting is a cameo in Ugly Betty; she previously worked with filmmaker Xavier Dolan on the videos for “Hello” and “Easy on Me”.

Major achievements

Adele has won 16 Grammys from 25 nominations — including three Album of the Year wins, for 21, 25 and 30 — plus 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy, the last three all for “Skyfall”. She was appointed MBE. Like fellow record-breaker Taylor Swift, she is one of the few artists whose albums have defined their decade.

Personal life

Adele’s son Angelo was born on 19 October 2012. She married Simon Konecki secretly in 2016; they split in April 2019 and the divorce was finalised in March 2021, with joint custody of Angelo and no spousal or child support either way, according to CNA Lifestyle.

She has been with sports agent Rich Paul since 2021, and confirmed their engagement on stage in Munich in August 2024, telling a fan who proposed that she was “already getting married”. In late October 2026 a video of Paul calling Adele “my wife” went viral and reignited secret-marriage speculation — but neither has confirmed a wedding, and reputable coverage still calls him her fiancé. She lives in Beverly Hills, California.

Net worth snapshot

Adele’s net worth is estimated at $220 million to $230 million as of late 2026, based on Celebrity Net Worth ($230 million, updated 31 August 2026) and Parade ($220 million). The Sunday Times Rich List 2026 put her UK identifiable wealth at £172 million. Her fortune was built on record sales of more than 120 million, two blockbuster residencies and a Beverly Hills property portfolio. Read the full breakdown in Adele’s net worth.

Frequently asked questions

Is Adele making a movie?

Yes — Cry to Heaven, directed by Tom Ford and adapted from Anne Rice’s 1982 novel. Filming began in January 2026 and has wrapped; release is expected in 2027. She will not sing in it.

Is Adele married to Rich Paul?

Not that either of them has confirmed. Adele confirmed her engagement to sports agent Rich Paul on stage in Munich in August 2024. A video of Paul calling her “my wife” in October 2026 reignited secret-marriage speculation, but neither has confirmed a wedding, so he is described as her fiancé.

How many Grammys has Adele won?

Adele has won 16 Grammy Awards from 25 nominations, including three Album of the Year wins for 21, 25 and 30. She has also won 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy.

What is Adele doing now?

As of November 2026, Adele is on a break from music — she has not sung in public since 2024 and has no new album or tour announced. Her current project is her acting debut in Tom Ford’s Cry to Heaven, expected in 2027.