I am no music aficionado. The truth is, I listen to music infrequently. This was not always the case. Upon reflection, there appears to be an inverse relationship between life’s demands and my inclination to listen to music. Like many, my spouse and child are passive listeners, listening to music while they work. That is not a practice that I ever developed. I am more of an active, intentional listener. I like to sit and fully listen to and “feel” whatever music I have dedicated my time to listening to. I tend to favor country music, but I also have an appreciation for classical, rock, pop, folk, blues, jazz and gospel.

Adele’s cancellation of her “Weekends With Adele” residency at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino, in early 2022, was disappointing for her droves of fans who in many cases spent their hard-earned money not only on show tickets, but also on further expenses such as airfare, hotel accommodations, and time away from work. To say her decision was last-minute would be an understatement, as it was made the night before her first performance. It is my belief that most people would have accepted Adele’s decision if it were not already past the 11th hour. Her tearful video apology was irksome because her explanation left me, and others, feeling as if it was somehow incomplete. Adele’s explanation was that COVID-related delays and staff attrition, together with her invocation of higher standards for her fans, justified the abrupt, 24-hour cancellation. Knowing she would have to answer to her fans (and critics) in some manner, while simultaneously salvaging whatever credibility she could, she used the only tool she had left to work with: a tearful, very public display of pure emotion. I am sure she was genuinely upset, and her emotions real, but I am skeptical that they were coming from the place she claimed they were. Rather, in a very rational and dare I say somewhat cynical move, it is plausible that she redirected her emotions to serve the situation of the moment; thinly reasoned facts, plus on-camera sobbing of sufficient intensity, equals damage control.

Adele’s appearance on the Brit Awards Show (February 08, 2022), less than a month after she cancelled her Caesar’s residency, understandably, didn’t sit well with many fans and critics. While in England, she continued her errors of omission/justification on the Graham Norton Show (which aired on February 12, 2022) where she appeared to promulgate the same story. Mr. Norton then asked the question that many people were likely thinking, “If it was just you, a piano, a light bulb and a mic, people would have been quite happy. Was that ever a possibility?” After a brief on-air deliberation, Adele responded, “Its Vegas, it can’t just be me and my fucking guitar.” True enough, Vegas demands a spectacle. But Adele knew that all along!

In a subsequent interview with Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s “Desert Island Discs,” Adele stuck to her position, but further elaborated by invoking the straw-man trope of unnamed “sellout” performers who put on “less than the best” for their fans, stating: “I don’t think any other artist would have done what I did, which is why I think it was such a massive, massive story.” Sellout performers, take note: Adele only wants the best for her fans. Unfortunately, leaked details about explosive disagreements over the set, and other creative issues, were already out in the public domain, and frankly, to the passive observer, they suggest an alternate, more plausible scenario.

The problem with Adele’s logic was that it was selfish and egotistical. She expected everyone to empathize with her situation (the threat of a self-perceived subpar show), accept her rationale for her action (last-minute show cancellation), and agree that she did it in the best interest of her fans, all without ever addressing the elephant in the room: the numerous reports of long-standing dysfunction and volatile disagreements with members of her creative team. Adele has said, “I stand by my decision.” But it makes one wonder, does Adele believe she shares blame for any of this? Or was this entire mess her creative team’s fault, or COVID’s? What does this entire debacle infer about Adele’s true concern for her fans?

The enormous backlash Adele received was understandable. However, it had little or nothing, as some disingenuously claimed, to do with her being a successful artist and woman. Rather, it likely had more to do with her belief that the willful withholding of consequential details was the best course of action. This position, along with the verbiage she used to describe herself post-cancellation (“gutted,” “devastated,” “a shell of a person for a couple of months”), stood in stark contrast to her jovial, upbeat appearances, even those less than one-month post-cancellation. Most saddening, all of it was so unnecessary. Because at the end of the day, as Mr. Norton alluded to, when she is performing in front of her dedicated fanbase, there is only Adele, her voice, and her fans, in the room together. Perhaps in her very fixation on the literal set-dressing for her fans, she lost sight of this.

But Adele’s entitled diva-like behavior had a glorious silver, no platinum, lining: my re-discovery of Angelina Jordan. During the media coverage of Adele’s backlash, the name Angelina Jordan crept into my newsfeed. I listened to both her older and more recent performances and, like so many others, found her voice mesmerizing and serene. She has recorded numerous covers, among them Etta James, Patsy Cline, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse and even, yes, Adele. I encourage you to visit her website, https://www.angelinajordanofficial.com/, to read about her, and listen to this once-in-a-generation child prodigy, as she gradually matures into an amazing talent. A few savvy Youtubers have intercut Angelina Jordan with the original artist. These side-by-side comparisons showcase her amazing voice. She makes each cover her own, often better than the original. Thus, I wholeheartedly recommend that you take a moment to not simply listen to, but experience, Angelina. For all of you still disheartened by Adele’s self-centeredness, listen to Angelina’s covers of Adele, and you’ll see why I have dubbed her, “Adele, Only Better!”

Note: For those of you still clamoring to see Adele perform live in Las Vegas, her shows have been rescheduled for November 18, 2022 through March 25, 2023. Should they go off as planned, I hope they are memorable for all who attend. For those who cannot partake in a live Adele performance, give Angelina Jordan a chance. I promise you won’t be disappointed by this young prodigy!


References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKc3N0CY-CY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv7d5fmMBAw (The Graham Norton Show)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0018wxk (Lauren Laverne Show)
https://pagesix.com/2022/01/23/adele-allegedly-had-arguments-with-set-designer-for-vegas-residency/;
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/17410189/adele-concerts-explosive-rows/;
https://variety.com/2022/music/news/adele-las-vegas-postponement-half-assed-1235178962/
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/adele-graham-norton-las-vegas-residency_uk_620786c3e4b0ccfb3e5583ba
https://hollywoodlife.com/2022/01/20/adele-postpones-las-vegas-show-crying-video/
https://www.adele.com/