Be kind to Adele

Why are fans being so unkind to Adele, the superstar pop singer? For anyone who isn’t aware, she has pulled out of the last concerts of her 2017 tour due to vocal problems. Whilst a number of fans have been very supportive of her, there are many who have vented their disappointment and anger online. They have complained that they paid lots of money to stay in hotels; travel to the London etc. And also accused her of a poor work ethic and of not being physically fit. Unreasonable criticisms.

First of all, like many musicians, I am totally supportive of Adele. She has an amazing voice and persona, that genuinely engages and connects with audiences. As a singer, she is an athlete and uses her body as an instrument. Other musicians – such as guitarists – could damage their instrument (there was a phase of guitar smashing in acts) and then replace them. That is not the case with singers.

Adele first had major vocal problems in 2011. Her vocal folds were actually bleeding – they were damaged through over use and smoking. EEK! Really scary for singers. She had surgery and the damaged area of the vocal folds was removed.

Adele has said she now looks after herself: eating properly, resting her voice, etc. I believe her. It must be an absolute shock when you have vocal damage like she had, as a singer. I HOPE she is taking good rests and also vocal lessons with a qualified vocal coach.

But here is the rub: due to the music industry now, musicians – including singers – are being expected to tour more. And this is exhausting. For a solo artiste like Adele, who gives so much of herself when she performs, this can be draining. She gives 100% whenever she performs, and I suspect she has to perform when she is tired and this can result in the voice being damaged. She has promoters who book a series of concerts. They often schedule dates with insufficient rest time between performances, without thinking of the artist.

Remember: Adele is an athlete just like a tennis player or footballer. When a favourite tennis player has an injury, there is an outpouring of support for them to recover. When a footballer is injured, again there is support. And a manager will rest a strong footballer if they see they need a rest.

WHY do people feel they can whinge about Adele rather than appreciating how much she has put into every performance. This isn’t an X Factor type “Karaoke” performance but a physically gruelling time.

Please have some respect for Adele and other performers. They aren’t machines or instruments but real people. And they get sick – because they are tired, not because they are lazy. So be kind to Adele.