Adele wins big at Brit Awards, stuns on red carpet: 'Never lose sight of of who you are'
In her first public showing since bailing on her Las Vegas residency the day before its kickoff, Adele made a memorable appearance on the 2022 Brit Awards, garnering three of her four nominated awards.
The singer, who posed alone on the red carpet in a stunning black curve-hugging dress, won the first award presented: song of the year for “Easy on Me.” This was her first in-person appearance at the awards show since 2016 and her 10th Brit Award, the U.K. version of the Grammys.
She also won trophies in the prestigious categories of album of the year and artist of the year.
"I love being an artist and seriously can't believe it's my job," Adele said from the podium while accepting the prize for artist of the year. She also offered some advice to her younger British peers: "Never lose sight of of who you are."
After nabbing the album of the year award for her fourth release, "30," the top-selling album in the U.K. and the U.S. last year, Adele teared up as she dedicated it to her son and her ex-husband, Simon Konecki.
"This album was all of our journey, and I'm so proud of myself for putting out something so personal," she said. She also thanked 9-year-old Angelo for being "gracious, kind and patient" with her.
The Adele appeal: Fans loved her because of her relatability
Adele established her hometown pride upon accepting the song of the year award from “Ted Lasso” stars Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein. “I always love coming home. The Brits are such a big part of my career from way back when ... I was a little fetus," Adele said.
The songstress' performance was one of the most anticipated of the show, and she delivered a vocally flawless rendition of "I Drink Wine." Sitting atop a piano in a shimmery gold dress, Adele clenched the microphone as she emoted, her three backup singers and a four-piece band supporting her performance of one of the strongest tracks on "30." Adele ended the song with a demure "thank you" before she blew a kiss to the audience.
Joining Adele in the four-nomination club were Ed Sheeran, Little Simz and Dave. She lost best pop/R&B artist to Dua Lipa.
The Brits, beamed in from the O2 Arena in London, were hosted by British comedian Mo Gilligan.
Nearly three weeks have passed since Adele left fans stranded in Las Vegas with thousands of useless concert tickets.
Last week, she popped up on social media with a post about performing at the Brits, which tabloids had speculated she was also ditching. The photo accompanying her announcement showed Adele laughing while holding a playing card. The post also included a dig at rumors that she and boyfriend Rich Paul were having problems, a supposed contributing factor to her Vegas departure, with the message, "Oh, and Rich sends his love."
The singer has a planned appearance later this week on pal Graham Norton’s talk show couch, where she is certain to field questions about the future of the Caesars Palace residency.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Adele wins major trophies at Brit Awards, stuns on red carpet
