NBCAdele is back and better than ever. There, somebody finally said what everybody was thinking.
The Grammy and Oscar winner is going for the Emmy now with a new NBC special, Adele Live in New York City (airing tonight at 10 p.m.), which was filmed at Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Spoiler alert: She sang her heart out. It was Adele at her best.
"This is going to be on the TV," Adele cautioned the audience. "Don't pick your nose."
There were a lot of questions running through my head before the show, namely what do people do alone at Adele concerts? Sit in their seats and cry? It turns out, yes, that's what they do. And I was one of them. But crying isn't all people did. They threw their hands up a lot and waved them around in a lyrical fashion. Adele's music is known to make people feel all the emotions. Her concert was no different.
Here's how it started out for me, somebody seeing Adele live for the first time.
Emotion 1: Excitement. This is happening! She's singing "Hello."
Emotion 2: Overwhelming joy. She's singing "Hello" right in front of me! Oh s--t, I'm welling up. This is happening!
Emotion 3: Happiness. Adele is singing in front of me and she sounds great.
Emotion 4: Awe. She sounds so great. And she seems really genuine. I like her more now.
Emotion 5: I'm invincible. Enveloped in Adele's music, nothing can stop us all.
Emotion 6: Sad. Adele's "When We Were Young" hit me, man. It hit me hard. There were tears. And she cried, too.
Emotion 7: Back to happy. I tried to keep the gloating down to a minimum, but everybody in my life was jealous of me.
When she wasn't taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride, Adele was hilarious. She admitted to and apologized for having gas from her nerves (there was a tiny burp involved), had the whole audience sing happy birthday to a fan who was at one of her listening parties, and really just seemed happy to be back singing in front of an audience, especially one in New York at Radio City Music Hall. "My bucket list is complete," she said about her time at Radio City.
"I've been dying to do a f--king show," she said, noting her friends didn't believe her when she said she missed touring following her extended hiatus. During that extended hiatus between 21 and 25, Adele had a baby, which she said is the "best thing I ever did."
"I love [being a mom]," she said and thanked fans for giving her time with her son.
This was Adele's first show in the United States since 2011. Prior to taking the stage, she said she was given healing crystals to help with her nerves and she concerned she'd become a hippy. However, by the end of the night, the singer said she didn't want the night to end, especially after receiving a standing ovation after "When We Were Young," the song she said is the favorite song she ever wrote. "I'm so relieved," she said through tears. "I'll never forget it. I'll remember every moment," she said about her concert.
So will I, Adele.
Adele Live in New York City airs Monday, Dec. 14, at 10 p.m. on NBC.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)