Pop princess Adele comes to Manhattan

Adele performs onstage during 2009 VH1 Divas at Brooklyn Academy... — Adele performs onstage during 2009 VH1 Divas at Brooklyn Academy of Music. (Sept. 17, 2009) Credit: Getty Images

By GLENN GAMBOAglenn.gamboa@newsday.comMay 16, 2011

Step aside, Kate Middleton. Adele is the pop princess who is ruling both sides of the Atlantic this year.

The 23-year-old British singer-songwriter currently has the No. 1 album, "21" (XL/Columbia), and the No. 1 single, "Rolling in the Deep," and she shows no signs of stopping there.

What makes Adele so exciting?

A DIFFERENT KIND OF POP STAR With so many studio creations and so much AutoTune among today's pop A-list, Adele is the real deal, with a powerful voice that recalls Barbra Streisand with a new millennium twist. "I love seeing Lady Gaga's boobs and bum," Adele told Rolling Stone. "I love seeing Katy Perry's boobs and bum. Love it. But that's not what my music is about. I don't make music for eyes. I make music for ears."

STAYING POWER In an age of instant No. 1's and rapid declines, Adele's already-platinum "21" has racked up seven weeks at No. 1, while "Rolling in the Deep" took 18 weeks to reach the top spot -- the sign of an old-fashioned, across-the-board smash.

A WIDE FAN BASE "Rolling in the Deep's" climb to No. 1 came with its introduction to many different audiences. Adele performed it on "Dancing With the Stars." The "Glee" kids did their version as part of their prom episode. Finalists on both "American Idol" and "The Voice" tackled it. And it's played during "Grey's Anatomy" and in countless promos.

PROBLEM SOLVER At her New York debut in 2008, Adele jokingly apologized to the crowd for having so many slow songs on her "dramatic, melancholy" debut, "19." She also declared how she has a hard time walking on high heels, even though she bought a pair of Manolo Blahniks specifically for the show. Three years later, she has added more up-tempo songs into her set, including the brilliant "Rumour Has It," and at her tour-opener in Washington, D.C., last week she declared, "I can't believe I've managed to wear my high heels throughout the whole show!"

WHO Adele

WHEN | WHERE 8 p.m. Thursday, Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, Manhattan; and 8 p.m. Saturday, United Palace, 4140 Broadway, Manhattan

INFO $34.50-$65; 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com

WHAT CRITICS SAY

"Most of the evening's weird electricity was conducted by Adele's towering, lightning-rod voice. Unlike so many of her soul forebears who sing as if they're exorcising their lyrics, Adele seems completely comfortable in those superhuman lungs." -- Chris Richards, The Washington Post

"Adele has a big voice, and her brassy, retro vocals are the crux of her musical appeal. Adele's material, most of which she co-writes, is serviceable and modestly eclectic, but often ordinary." -- Mark Jenkins, Spin.com

"Wearing a high-belted black dress and standing mostly still on a set seemingly designed to look like a retro London flat, with Persian rugs and two dozen vintage lampshades dangling at various heights, Adele belted out her heartache in song after earnest song." -- Evan Serpick, Rollingstone.com