The year of Adele

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"Someone Like You" and "Rolling in the Deep" are songs Adele wrote about a boyfriend who broke her heart. How does the British singer feel about performing them now?

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Adele is one of the most extraordinary singers of her generation, and her global rise to fame happened suddenly. "The kind of level of fame that I'm dealing with now . . . it was overnight," Adele tells Anderson Cooper. "Literally on a flight to New York. I landed, and I seemed to be the most talked about artist in the world that day." Talked about and best-selling. Adele's sophomore album of intensely personal songs has sold close to 18 million copies and has spent more weeks at number one than any album in nearly 20 years. All of that success seemed in peril last year, when Adele developed serious vocal cord problems that required surgery. Would she sing again? As you'll hear in this profile, yes!

The following script is from "The Year of Adele" which aired on Feb. 12, 2012. Anderson Cooper is the correspondent. John Hamlin, producer.

Whitney Houston died yesterday in Los Angeles as the stars of the music world were descending on that city for tonight's Grammy awards. The cause of Houston's death has not been revealed, though her life, as one of her generation's best singers, was plagued by drug abuse. Whitney Houston was 48 years old and tonight's Grammys will be an occasion to mourn her loss.

60 Minutes Overtime

60 Minutes' funniest moments with Adele »

It will also be a night to celebrate the past year in music. And in many ways 2011 will be remembered as the year of Adele. The 23-year-old British singer has been nominated for six Grammys. Her sophomore album, has sold almost 18 million copies. It spent more weeks at number one than any album since Whitney Houston's soundtrack for the movie "The Bodyguard" nearly 20 years ago.

What makes Adele's success so extraordinary is that she's unlike most other contemporary female pop singers. She doesn't have runway model looks, doesn't dress provocatively, and has no gimmicks added to her music. Few people have heard Adele's voice however, for the past four months. Vocal cord problems forced her to cancel dozens of concerts, and threatened to end her young career. Tonight, Adele breaks her silence for the first time, revealing how her voice is doing now...and how she is handling her sudden and very unconventional rise to fame.

Adele's music is intensely personal. She sings almost exclusively about love and the men whose love she's lost. She wrote this song, "Rolling in the Deep", heartbroken and angry the day after breaking up with her boyfriend. The song became the top selling single of 2011 and catapulted her to global stardom.

Adele sings a cappella for Anderson Cooper
Adele talks about her body image and weight

Adele: The kind of level of fame that I'm dealing with now, it's obviously gotten bigger over the year but it was overnight. Literally on a flight to New York. I landed and I seemed to be the most talked about artist in the world that day.

Anderson Cooper: What's that moment like?

Adele: I thought it was hilarious.

Anderson Cooper: Hilarious?

Adele: I thought it was funny. I wanted to be a singer forever. But it's not really my cup of tea. Having the whole world know who you are.

Cooper: It's not your cup of tea?

Adele: No. I find it quite difficult to think that there's, you know, about 20 million people listening to my album that I wrote very selfishly to get over a breakup. I didn't write it being that it's going to be a hit.

Cooper: You really wrote it to help you get over something?

Adele: Yeah. So the fact that so many people are interested in that, and want to cry to it, or want to feel strong to it, or whatever. I find really--it's just little old me.

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by GoSFGiants1 February 14, 2012 2:18 AM EST: Anderson...I adore you and have always had the utmost respect for you as a legitimate reporter. It is disgusting that you would lead off your story about Adele with comments about her looks. First of all, she is a BEAUTIFUL person. Look at her face - classic beauty. NEVER mind the fact she is smaller than the average size of any American...so you are already alienating most of your audience. This is expected of an ignorant ass like Karl Lagerfeld...but I...and everyone would expect more of you. This woman is INCREDIBLY talented - her looks should NOT be the headline! What are you thinking? It was wonderful to see that the Grammy's actually nominated based on TALENT rather than lip synching this year....and yet you (disgustingly) and every other news outlet choses to report on the fact she isn't a size 0...even if she is a size 16 and INCREDIBLY more beautiful than a talentless, computer enhanced, bleach blonde, 15 year old who has nothing to offer this world except the hope that she will not procreate another mindless waste of talentless space. Shame on you Anderson...and shame on you CBS. Your viewers expect more of you.; Reply to this comment


by oregongirltoo February 13, 2012 7:27 PM EST: The nicest thing about Adele is that she is the exact opposite of Lada Gaga! She isn't and out-of-control self promoter, she doesn't think that she is the most profound mind in the world, and she actually pulls you in with nothing but her beautiful voice!! She is really quite refreshing...........she just sings without all of the glitter and production that is so often seen nowadays.; Reply to this comment


by Jesus_to_ground_control February 13, 2012 5:33 PM EST: No, it is the year of Whitney!; Reply to this comment


by lindot1 February 13, 2012 12:05 PM EST: She is different, she has classic beauty for one so young, don't change a thing. Loved that song she sang at the grammys.; Reply to this comment


by funbunn40 February 13, 2012 12:11 AM EST: Anderson is always a pleasure to watch and seeing Adele behind the scenes gave us a glimpse of her down to earth personality. I'm thrilled that she won so many well deserved Grammys. A great change from the artists that are more concerned with shock value than pure vocal talent. This woman can really sing and write music that connects and inspires motion. No need for 20 dancers, autotune and pyrotechnics, just magnificent songs worthy of her stunning voice. She looked elegant and beautiful. The only other performer that affects me in such a moving, visceral way is Adam Lambert. He also needs nothing but his magnificent, powerful voice. Finally real vocally talented artists that can actually sing. Yay!; Reply to this comment


by RTLEYAHS February 12, 2012 11:43 PM EST: Adele is simply 'AMAZING' - The comment made about her "not having supermodel looks' on 60 mins disturbs me though. What has that got to do with her being a super talented, gorgeous and laid back human being. Who cares if you don't think she looks like a supermodel? Ignorant comments like that is what turns real gifted superstars into their own worst enemy. Focus and appreciate talents as they are INSTEAD of judging and criticizing them to feel like they are inadequate.; Reply to this comment


by Al_Thound February 12, 2012 9:05 PM EST: We are fans of Adele and fans of Angela Lansbury. We urgently request they team up in a TV movie about both being singers from the same part of London, as well as Grandmother/Granddaughter, and of course they solve a mystery together, after enduring certain formula dangers. It is urgent they do this now because we are not getting any younger.

Best wishes to both great voices. Al Thound; Reply to this comment