From the moment Adele first broke out onto the scene in 2008 with her debut album, 19, it was clear she was something different. And for the next decade-plus, the British singer-songwriter (full name: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) continued to show just how special she was in everything from her amazing voice to her famous potty mouth to her impressive weight loss and glamorous makeover.
The “Rolling in the Deep” singer is the winner of a whopping 15 Grammy Awards and 18 Billboard Music Awards as well as an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Along the way to her total domination of the music world, the soulful songstress has undergone major life changes — including the birth of her son, Angelo, in 2012, her marriage to Angelo’s dad, Simon Konecki, in 2016, and their eventual separation in 2019 — and shown off her changing style to fans across the globe.
The extremely private chart-topper has been body-positive since the start of her career. “I have never been insecure, ever, about how I look, about what I want to do with myself,” she told the Daily Mail in 2009. “My mum told me to only ever do things for myself, not for others.”
And she attributed some of the early support she got to her relatable weight. “Fans are encouraged that I’m not a size 0 — that you don’t have to look a certain way to do well,” she told Vogue that same year.
Adele did, however, end up slimming down in 2012 before her son was born that October, though she never lost her curves. And in 2016, long after the outspoken star had become multi-platinum, she starred in another Vogue cover. Of her smaller size, the star, who came from a rough working class London neighborhood, told the magazine, “I was trying to get some stamina for my tour, so I lost a bit of weight.” She joked that her slim down was responsible for her new shopping habit: “Now I fit into normal, off-the-shelf clothes — which is a really big problem for me!”
Her personal trainer, Pete Geracimo, explained the focus on her health in May 2020. “When Adele and I started our journey together, it was never about getting super skinny. It was about getting her healthy. Especially post-pregnancy and post-surgery,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “When 25 dropped and the tour announced, we had to get ready for a 13 month grueling schedule. In that time, she warmed to training and made better food choices. As a result, she lost considerable weight and people took notice.”
No matter how you look at it, Adele’s journey and transformation through the years has been incredible. Scroll through to see some of the star’s best photos through the years.
Credit: Adele/instagram
Those Cheeks!
Adele grew up in Tottenham, London. She shared this throwback photo of herself via Instagram in October 2015, following the release of her album 25. “Throwing it way back with this! Thank you for all the love, I am so blown away. X #TBT,” she wrote.
Credit: Dave Etheridge-Barnes/Getty Images
Brighton Beginner
The then-up-and-coming singer, who studied biology at Balham’s Chestnut Grove School in London, performed a small set from her debut album 19 on the MTV2 Gonzo On Tour stage during the Great Escape Festival on May 19, 2007.
Credit: JMEnternational
Blunt Bangs!
Adele won in the Critics’ Choice category at the Brit Awards at Earls Court in London on February 20, 2008.
Credit: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Grammy Goodness
The “Hometown Glory” songstress won her first Grammy for Best New Artist at the star-studded ceremony in L.A. on February 8, 2009. None other than Vogue’s Anna Wintour styled her for the big night.
Powerhouse Amid Heartbreak
The hair, the makeup, the voice! Adele debuted her song “Rolling in the Deep” in 2011. The track was off her second studio album, 21, which was mainly inspired by a painful split with an ex-boyfriend.
On Fire!
Adele, in a Burberry dress, dominated the stage with a powerful performance of her song “Someone Like You” at the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2011.
Credit: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
She’s Really, Really Arrived
Doesn’t get much better! Adele was the belle of the ball at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012. She became the first female artist to win six awards in one year, which included Record, Song and Album of the Year for her album 21. She wore a black Giorgio Armani dress, Christian Louboutin heels and Harry Winston diamonds, and rocked bold red lipstick. (Adele welcomed a baby boy named Angelo with her then-boyfriend Simon Konecki in October 2012.)
Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
Gorgeous at Golden Globes
Adele wore a Burberry dress and Miu Miu heels to the star-studded affair in Beverly Hills on January 13, 2013. She won in the Best Original Song category for “Skyfall.”
Adele’s Many Accolades
The singer’s success continued when she took home Best Pop Solo Performance for “Set Fire to the Rain (Live)” at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2013.
All she needs is a Tony and an Emmy! Adele teared up when she won Best Original Song for “Skyfall” at the 85th Academy Awards on February 24, 2013. The tune was featured in the 2012 James Bond film of the same name.
Finally! Following a four-year hiatus, Adele dropped a new music video for her song “Hello” on October 22, 2015. She showed off a new short ‘do and slimmer figure.
Back in the Game
Adele covered Rolling Stone without makeup in November 2015. She opened up about her new music, her longtime partner Simon Konecki and their 3-year-old son, Angelo. The following month, she announced North American tour dates for her new album, 25.
Daydreamer Diva
Adele wowed on the cover of Vogue in February 2016. “When I became a parent, I felt like I was truly living,” she said of her son Angelo. “My main thing is Mum, then it’s me, then it’s work.”
Credit: John Shearer/WireImage
Adele Years
Adele — showing off her tinier frame in a Givenchy black dress — pushed through despite sound issues during her Grammys performance on February 15, 2016. “The piano mics fell on to the piano strings, that’s what the guitar sound was. It made it sound out of tune. S–t happens,” she tweeted after the debacle. “Because of it though… I’m treating myself to an in n out [burger]. So maybe it was worth it.”
