Adele Says Becoming a Mom at the Height of Fame Was Considered ‘Career Suicide’ but ‘I F—ing Got Away with It’

The English singer made the personal revelation during The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Women in Entertainment Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday

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Adele attends ‘The Hollywood Reporter”s Women In Entertainment, 2023 . PHOTO: STEFANIE KEENAN/THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER VIA GETTY
Adele is opening up about becoming a mother at the peak of her career, praising herself for overcoming what she says could have been “career suicide.”

The Grammy winner, 35, attended The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Women in Entertainment Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday, where she was honored with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. And during her speech, she reflected on learning she was pregnant with her son Angelo, now 11, at the height of her fame.

“I could only call it pandemonium ’cause that’s how it felt to me,” she said, looking back on what she noted felt like a sudden success with her chart-topping sophomore album. “Overnight, it was like I was famous. It was the strangest, most surreal experience of my life ’til to this day.”

Getting pregnant amid that, Adele said, “to many would be — and was considered — career suicide.” However, she saw herself as “always one to go against the grain.”

“It was there and then that I chose to reject the scarcity of success and the idea that you have to be constantly relevant to be successful,” she shared. “And that perhaps, just maybe, I could be a hit both on and off the stage.”

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Adele was presented with her award by Helen Mirren. MATT WINKELMEYER/THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER VIA GETTY
It certainly worked for Adele. “You’ll never guess what?” I f—ing got away with it,” she told the star-studded crowd at the event, including fellow Brit Helen Mirren, who presented Adele with the honor.

Adele concluded by praising “all the sacrifices that women before me have made,” that enabled her success, saying she wouldn’t have been able to do both had it not been for them.

“It’s because of them that I have every right to be the boss at work and the boss at home. So thank you,” she said.

The singer looked radiant at the event in a navy blue pinstripe suit which she teamed with white pointed pumps. She also wore her blonde hair in loose waves and accessorized with gold jewelry.

Earlier this month, Adele opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the relatable realities of parenthood. Asked by the outlet about a story she told on stage about her making chicken kebabs for her son’s school class, the musician shared, “I did it the next day. It went great.”

“I spilled turmeric everywhere, so it stained my whole kitchen,” she added. “I made 60 of them.”

Angelo’s father is the star’s ex-husband Simon Konecki but Adele has been in a relationship with American sports agent Rich Paul since 2021 with the pair often sparking speculation that they are married.

Just last month the “Rolling the the Deep” singer claimed she had recently gotten married during her close friend Alan Carr’s comedy show in L.A.

Two follow audience members shared the details with the anonymous celebrity gossip account Deuxmoi. “I was at Alan Carr’s comedy show in L.A. tonight and Adele was in the audience,” one show-goer wrote. “Alan asked the crowd if anyone got married recently and Adele shouted ‘I did.’ ”

The second fan told Deuxmoi, “When [Carr] asked if anyone got married recently [Adele] yelled ‘I did.’ Super cute all around and was super sweet but dipped right before it ended.”

Reps for the star never responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment. But back in September, during a performance of her Las Vegas residency, Adele referred to herself as Paul’s “wife” while discussing the topic of sports. “I’m not the greatest wife,” she said of Paul — whose clients include LeBron James and Zach LaVine — adding that she was struggling to understand and embrace American football.