At a time when there’s no shortage of things to wish for, Adele’s long-awaited fourth studio album is high on the list. She said early last year that it was coming in September but then said it wasn’t, she hosted “Saturday Night Live” in October and sang snippets of some of her hits in a comedy bit but didn’t reveal any new songs, and it’s topped the list of predictions for 2021 (as it did 2020 and 2019).
However, her close friend comedian Alan Carr recently told Grazia UK that it’s coming next month. In an article published Wednesday, the “RuPaul Drag Race” judge was asked whose album is “rumored to be coming out in February – Adele, Rihanna or Cardi B?”
“Adele, isn’t it?,” he replied. “I’ve actually heard some tracks on it. Oh my God, it’s amazing – so amazing.’” Her then allowed that the album may have changed since he heard it. “They change all the time,” he said, “they’re really rough things.”
He continued, “I said to her, ‘That voice is like an old friend,’ because there are some people in the charts who sound a bit like Adele and then when you hear Adele’s voice, you go, ‘Oh no, there’s only one.’”
He was then asked whether her voice has “gone skinny,” apparently a reference to the singer’s new slim figure. “No, no, no,” he replied. “She’s still got a chunky but funky voice – don’t worry.”
Adele’s rep did not immediately respond to Variety’s requests for comment or confirmation.
The singer has packed a lot of life experience into what may or may not be called “32” — continuing her age-related album titles that began with “19” — including a marriage, birth and divorce, and has also made it fairly clear that 2021 will be the year to finally share her fourth album. During her “SNL” opening monologue, she explain why she wasn’t doing a dual role of hosting and musical guest, saying, “My album isn’t finished yet, I’d rather just put on some wigs, have a glass of wine or six and see what happens.” In an Instagram post after the show, she wrote, “I’m going back to my cave now to be the (single) cat lady that I am! Peace out til next year,”which many have taken to mean the album is coming in 2021.