Adele sounds ‘better than ever’ reveals collaborator OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder ahead of her comeback
ANTICIPATION for Adele's comeback is already sky high – but now one of her collaborators has got me really excited.
OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder , who co-wrote and produced her songs Rumour Has It and Remedy, has hinted they have teamed up again for her fourth album, out in September.
Despite saying he was going to “stay completely mum on new Adele”, he teased: “I’ll just say that she sounds better than ever.”
Since bursting into music in 2007 with song Apologize, OneRepublic have become a powerhouse in pop.
But Ryan is arguably even bigger as a songwriter, having penned hits including Beyonce's Halo, Leona Lewis' Bleeding Love and Ed Sheeran's Happier.
But sitting down for an exclusive interview to address the four-year gap since the group’s last album Oh
My My, he admitted it was the industry he loves so much that drove him to breaking point amid a relentless schedule of touring, recording and promo.
Ryan explained: “I was falling apart emotionally, physically, mentally. I hadn’t seen my kids in seven months.
“I was taking Xanax to curb my anxiety and I was having panic attacks and heart palpitations. I was just going too hard. I think I was going to die.
“So the month the album came out, I went to the label and I said, ‘I can’t support this album, I don’t have it in me, I have to have a break. We have not stopped for ten years’.
“I became consumed with, ‘Well, we should be bigger, we should be more successful with higher goals’.
“I remember as it was happening I was going, ‘I’m letting this machine that we created and controlled, now control me’.”
Taking a break from making music meant Ryan was able to spend time with his wife Genevieve and their sons Copeland and Miles — and finally grow up himself.
It inspired the band’s new single Didn’t I, released yesterday, and their fifth album Human, out May 8.
He added: “From the moment you’re an artist, you freeze. I was frozen basically at 19 or 20.
“I got into the business of being a dad, a husband, trying to figure out, ‘Can I do things other than write songs?’
“The last three- and-a-half-years gave me the time to live life, experience things, including friends’ break-ups and divorces.
"Didn’t I is about a horrible divorce, but then the idea of, ‘wasn’t it great while it lasted?’”
While Ryan is now back in the music game, there is one thing he won’t return to — Twitter.
Hitting out at the social networking site, he said: “I got off Twitter three years ago because I f***ing hate it. It is trashy.
“It is wildly dangerous to have an app that allows ghosts to sound off from the privacy of their bedroom. I call them bedroom assassins.
“The world needs less microphones for pieces of s**t. Take the microphones away.”
However, he admitted MySpace was instrumental in getting OneRepublic’s music heard at the beginning of their career.
Ryan said: “There is some hypocrisy because we wouldn’t be a band if it weren’t for social media.”
Whether on Twitter or not, talented Ryan certainly has no problem getting people to listen to his records now.
bizmeter charts
THE Weeknd looks to be unstoppable with Blinding Lights, the biggest song of the year so far. It has held on to the No1 spot for a fifth week, despite strong competition from Saint Jhn.
Aitch, AJ Tracey and Tay Keith have the highest new entry of the week with Rain, which has gone straight in at No3. The video has had 3.5million views.
Official singles chart:
- Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
- Roses – Saint Jhn
- Rain – Aitch & AJ Tracey feat. Tay Keith
- The Box – Roddy Ricch
- Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
- No Time To Die – Billie Eilish
- Lonely – Joel Corry
- Physical – Dua Lipa
- Say So – Doja Cat
- Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi
Tess is ready for bed
TESS Daly has followed Holly Willoughby and Rita Ora by bringing out a bedding range.
The Strictly Come Dancing host unveiled her own collection of pillow-cases and bed spreads during a launch event at White City House in West London.
I can’t say I was crying out for no fewer than 37 cushions, throws and bits of linen designed by the multi-talented telly presenter, but there you go.
Tess was joined by husband Vernon Kay, Strictly co-host Claudia Winkleman, singer Kimberely Walsh and TV’s Katie Piper to show off her range for Clarke & Clarke.
I hope they at least got a sparkly pillow out of it.
Dua is hot to handle
DUA Lipa finds the right gear on an exercise bike while promoting her new gym range.
The IDGAF singer captioned the saucy shot on her Instagram account: “MERCH – DUALIPA.COM – MERCH.”
I bet her 40.4million followers will be putting their pedals to the metal to get at some.
bizbit
LOVE Island couple Sophie Piper and Connor Durman's romance is on the rocks just weeks after they left the ITV2 villa.
The pair have had talks about their future after struggling to keep the love alive in the real world.
Simon's mansion refit
A MANSION worth £15.2million would be beyond most people’s wildest dreams – but it’s still not good enough for Simon Cowell .
He is planning a refurb of the London home he bought in 2018.
The seven-bedroom pad in Wimbledon will get a security system, but his most expensive splurge is an outdoor swimming pool with changing rooms.
The X Factor judge has applied to extend the existing sunroom by 6.2 square metres.
Simon, who lives in the house with his partner Lauren Silverman and their son Eric, wants the work so the home could “respond to the modern requirements of the family”.
The upstairs sash windows will also be replaced, and a new bin and bike storage put into the grounds.
bizbit
LEWIS Capaldi has spoken about the “electric” sex he had with his former lover, Love Island winner Paige Turley.
He told his audience at London’s Wembley Arena on Thursday night: “We were together for about a year and a half and we had some f***ing electric times.
“Sparks were flying. It was like, ‘Touch it – oh, that hurt.’ Oh, that was rude.”
Lewis performed One, a track inspired by his ex who he admitted has now “moved on with another guy”.
And when someone in the crowd shouted out Finley Tapp's name, he added: “Oh you watch reality TV, do you?”
At least he can laugh about it now.
MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ
Tove's top fans
TOVE Lo had two special fans in the audience as she abruptly ended the European leg of her Sunshine Kitty tour a fortnight early on Thursday.
Dua Lipa and her boyfriend Anwar Hadid cheered Tove on at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, after she had to postpone shows due to coronavirus.
The singer told the crowd: “That was really f***ing special.”
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