19 Year Old UK Soul Sensation Adele, Winner of 2008 Brit Awards 'Critics Choice' Honors, Signs with Columbia Records in the States

The critically acclaimed UK soul singer Adele has signed in the states with Columbia Records, who -- in a joint venture with XL Recordings, Adele's worldwide label -- will release the emerging artist's debut album, "19," in summer 2008.

Born in London on May 5, 1988, Adele (nee Adele Adkins) has been the toast of the UK music press and record buying public since the October 2007 release of her first single, "Hometown Glory," an autobiographic heart-rendering ode to London.

In December 2007, Adele became the first recipient of the Brit Awards' newly inaugurated Critics Choice prize, presented to the year's most significant artist who, at that time, had yet to release an album. She was also honored as the winner of BBC Music's Sound of 2008 poll -- a consortium of UK music critics, editors and broadcasters -- as the most promising new musical artist likely to emerge in the upcoming year.

Adele delivered on that promise when XL Recordings (the influential independent label whose UK roster includes The White Stripes, M.I.A., Radiohead, Vampire Weekend, Devendra Banhart and more) released the UK edition of her debut album, "19," on January 28, 2008, the week following the introduction of the album's lead-in single, "Chasing Pavements" (which became the UK's #1 Airplay Single). "19" entered the UK Album Chart at #1 while hitting the Top 10 on the Irish Album Chart (#3), the Dutch Album Chart (#4), Billboard's European Top Albums Chart (#6) and the United World Chart (#8). "Chasing Pavements" held onto its #2 spot on the UK singles chart while "Hometown Glory" entered the UK singles chart at #32, meaning that new artist Adele had the UK's #1 album and two Top 40 singles all in the same week. "19" has been certified Platinum in the UK.

Praise of Adele and her music has been reverberating throughout the UK mainstream and underground music press:

The Observer's Music Monthly (October 2007) noted that "...her sultry soul voice and songs capture the essence of teenage love..." while the paper's "New Faces 2008" (December 30, 2007) correctly predicted that Adele "...will begin 2008 as one of the year's most hotly tipped singers." In January 2008, The Observer Music Monthly section gave "19" a five star review simply stating that "Of all 2008's female vocalists, none is as great as this one..."

Q called her a "Teenage Londoner with the voice of a Motown diva..." while The Sun pointed out that "It's clear to see and hear why Adele Adkins is going to be 2008's breakthrough star...She is the owner of a remarkably bluesy, soulful voice..."

The London Evening Standard summed it up saying: "...Adele's the real thing..."

Elle UK proclaimed Adele as "a face to watch" in their December 2007 Hotlist.

A live performer of intensity and charisma, Adele has appeared on a variety of UK television programs including BBC2's "Later with Jools Holland," BBC1's "Friday Night with Jonathan Ross," the Brit Awards and many others.

Since launching her MySpace page (myspace.com/adelelondon) on New Year's Eve, 2004, Adele has received more than 2 million profile views and 2.2 million plays of her songs.

Adele is currently on a stateside mini-tour of select North American venues which includes two sold-out shows at New York's Joe's Pub (March 17-18) and a sold-out appearance at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles (March 20) as well as Canadian appearances at Cabaret in Montreal (March 25) and a sold-out show at Rivoli in Toronto (March 26).

  adele.tv
  myspace.com/adelelondon

  xlrecordings.com

  columbiarecords.com

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SOURCE: Columbia Records

CONTACT: Media, Benny Tarantini, +1-212-833-5858,
Benny.Tarantini@sonybmg.com, or Yvette Noel-Schure, +1-212-833-4483,
Yvette.Noel-Schure@sonybmg.com, both of Columbia Records

Web site: http://columbiarecords.com/
http://www.myspace.com/adelelondon
http://adele.tv/
http://xlrecordings.com/