Adele reveals 30 album almost didn’t come out

Adele has admitted she would have 'moved on' if 30 was delayed any longer

Adele's 30 album delay almost stopped its release altogether
(Image credit: Getty)

Adele has revealed that she almost scrapped her latest album, after growing increasingly impatient with coronavirus delays. 

With so much hysteria surrounding Adele’s 30 album, it’s hard to imagine facing the winter sans the sound of Easy on Me playing on repeat in the background. 

The British superstar has returned to the spotlight after a six-year-long hiatus with a bang, treating her loyal fans to the early Christmas present of 12 brand new tracks as well as the exciting announcement of her first-ever Las Vegas residency, ‘Weekends with Adele’. She’ll also be performing two live shows in London in July, where she'll reunite with her UK listeners in the iconic Hyde Park for a romantic outdoor spectacle under the sunset. 

Adele

(Image credit: CBS Photo Archive / Contributor)

The last couple of months have indeed been quite the whirlwind—and yet, they nearly didn't happen. 

The 33-year-old has now revealed that she almost didn’t release her fourth album after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed its initial release date back by over a year. 

With each passing day, Adele became increasingly anxious to drop the record - knowing full well the time-sensitive nature of its material. The Hello singer’s latest album was largely inspired by her 2021 divorce from Simon Konecki, a subject that would likely have lost its relevance had the singer waited any longer to make her comeback. 

Adele and Simon Konecki

Adele with her ex-husband Simon Konecki 

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur / Contributor)

“If it wasn’t coming out now, I think I probably would never put it out,” she admitted in a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK

“I know I would’ve changed my mind and been like, ‘It’s moved on. Let’s start the next album.’ And I couldn’t do that to this album. I feel like it deserves to come out.” 

Adele was far from the only A-list artist whose patience was tested during the pandemic. She revealed that she had a “conversation” about the scheduling conundrum with longtime friend, Drake, who had also experienced delays with his album, Certified Lover Boy. 

“He kept having to push his album back,” she explained. “Suddenly he just announced that it was out and was like, ‘I feel like I’ve been working on it for so long because I’ve been sitting on it.’ I feel a bit like that.” 

Adele at basketball game 2021

Adele was growing frustrated with her album delays 

(Image credit: Getty)

Adele also dropped some exciting details about her relationship with Rich Paul, her new sports agent boyfriend. Having already gushed about his ‘hilarious’ and ‘smart’ personality in her Oprah Winfrey interview, the Grammy-award-winner shared some fresh info on how her friends reacted to the blossoming romance. 

“I didn’t really tell many of my friends at the beginning because I wanted to keep it to myself. None of them believed it!” she revealed. 

While the road to recovery after her split from her ex-husband Simon Konecki hasn’t been easy, Adele has made significant progress with her mental health over the past couple of years. She recalled one particular moment in which she felt “hopeful” about the future, despite being physically alone. 

“I remember going upstairs, and doing my face, and getting into bed,” she said. “I felt quite hopeful. It was the first time I felt I’d had a really nice evening and I was OK being in the house and going to bed on my own. I was not excited, but I was looking forward to the next day.” 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.