Adele

Adkins was raised by a young single mother who lived in various working class communities of London. Adkins was a fan of contemporary pop music as a child and learning how to play the clarinet as well as the guitar. She discovered Etta, a mid-century rhythm-and blues performer, during her teens, and started to explore a career as musician. She was attending a secondary school for the visual and performing arts, which was funded by the federal government. A friend uploaded songs Adkins composed on Myspace. Her music eventually caught the attention of recording companies and in 2006, several months after graduating the school, she signed a contract with XL Recordings.