Music

Adele Reveals Some Fans Felt “Betrayed” By Her Weight Loss In A New Interview

"I did it on the quiet, for myself."

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Adele has revealed in a new interview that some of her fans felt “betrayed” when she lost weight.

When asked to about everyone’s fascination by her recent weight loss on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, the singer said she recognised people’s curiosity about her smaller frame. 

“I understand why the press are fascinated by it,” she said. “They want to know because I didn’t share my journey like everyone else does. Most people have a DVD out by now, or you know, a video of how I did it.”

“I did it on the quiet, for myself,” she said, adding: “I felt terrible for some people that felt like other people’s comments meant that they weren’t looking good or that they weren’t beautiful,” hinting at the dormant fatphobia implied when you congratulate someone for losing weight.

The ‘Easy On Me’ singer added that some of her fans felt upset by her weight loss. “There were some other people who felt very betrayed by me, being like, ‘Oh, she’s given into the pressure of it’. Which didn’t really bother me because you ain’t holding my hand at 4am when I’m crying my heart out with anxiety and needing a distraction, and stuff like that.”

Adele clarified in the interview that the reason she got into exercise was to help her deal with her mental health, suggesting that she wasn’t solely trying to lose weight, or look a certain way. “It gave me focus, it gave me somewhere to get rid of my energy — good or bad — and make me feel like I was getting stronger mentally by getting stronger physically.”

Listen to Adele’s full Desert Island Discs interview here.


Photo credit: Samir Hussein/Getty Images