How Rich Paul Totally Changed Adele's Relationship With The Public

Adele has been serenading the public for over a decade. As Billboard recaps, her debut album was released when she was just 19 — an age that stunned given her talent, and also served as the inspiration for the album's name. She's continued to put out hit albums like "21," "25," and "30," which have broken records, won Grammys, and served as a literal timeline of the artist's impressive career.

It's no wonder that, at age 34, Adele is ready for a break from the spotlight. In a Sirius XM interview with John Mayer, the singer shared that she doesn't typically like touring, and that she may not release another album for "like, eight years."

Fortunately for Adele fans, however, she doesn't seem to have completely retreated from the public eye. Despite her busy schedule, Adele is often spotted attending public events, with Buzzfeed noting her tendency to go viral while sitting courtside at basketball games. As it turns out, we may have her new boyfriend, Rich Paul, to thank for her willingness to stay in the public eye after all these years.

Throughout her career, Adele has been notoriously private. In an interview on BBC's "Desert Island Discs," she shared that this guardedness was present even before she was famous, but media attention can often increase the urge to hide away. "Sometimes I feel like I've fueled [the public attention] in the past by being such a recluse," she shared. "Because sometimes it would be like, two years, and I wouldn't be seen."

Going through a divorce in the public eye couldn't have made things any easier. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey (via Entertainment Tonight), Adele shared that she struggled to tell the truth to her personal friends, and felt embarrassed that she couldn't make the relationship with Simon Konecki work.

Fortunately, her latest romance seems to be helping with the heartbreak and her relationship with fame. In July 2021, Page Six confirmed that Adele is dating Rich Paul, Lebron James' agent. Perhaps due to his experience working with superstars, Paul was able to offer some poignant advice. "He's like, 'If you want to go to that restaurant, you should go and try the food at that restaurant, and if you want to go to this birthday party, then you should be going. You can't miss out on these things, what's the worst that could happen?'" she told BBC. With Adele now willing to attend, a lot of birthday parties just got a whole lot happier.