Adele's Son Angelo: Everything to Know

Adele poses with her awards for Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year in the media room during The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena on February 08, 2022 in London, England
Adele poses with her awards for Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Album of the Year in the media room during The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena on February 08, 2022 in London, England
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Adele has been in the spotlight ever since her album 19 debuted in 2008. Since then, any time the superstar releases new music, she shatters world records or tops the charts — or both. But when it comes to Adele's personal life, especially with regard to her young son Angelo, the Grammy winner prefers to fly under the radar.

She began dating charity executive Simon Konecki in 2011 and the couple quietly welcomed son Angelo in October 2012. And though Adele and Konecki eventually split in 2019 (the two secretly wed in 2018), the exes have remained dedicated to co-parenting Angelo together — sharing joint custody and even living across the street from one another in Los Angeles.

"They are doing what's best for Angelo," a source told PEOPLE. "Her son is her world."

While Adele is normally tight-lipped when it comes to discussing Angelo, she has been vocal about how becoming a mother has changed her.

"He's a little angel," she told Rolling Stone in 2015. "All the things I really like about myself, he brings out in me, and he's the only person that tells me no. He completely rules me. He's the boss of me."

So who is the little boy who rules Adele's world? Here's everything to know about the iconic singer's only child Angelo, from his favorite musical artist (hint: it's not his mom) to his recording debut and more.

He was born in October 2012 in England

Adele and Konecki welcomed their son on Oct. 19, 2012. At the time of his birth, the award-winning singer kept details of Angelo's arrival private — with a family source only commenting on the new parents' happiness.

"We are all over the moon," the source shared with PEOPLE.

Adele had previously announced her pregnancy in June 2012 in a statement on her website.

"I'm delighted to announce that Simon and I are expecting our first child together," she wrote. "I wanted you to hear the news direct from me, obviously we're over the moon and very excited but please respect our privacy at this precious time. Yours always, Adele xx."

His name was initially kept secret from the press 

Adele accepts the Best Original Song award for Motion Picture, "Skyfall" on stage during the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California
Adele accepts the Best Original Song award for Motion Picture, "Skyfall" on stage during the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California

Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal

The musician made a point to not reveal her son's name for months after his birth. At the Golden Globes in January 2013, Adele thanked her newborn son when she took home the award for Best Original Song for the Skyfall title track but did not divulge his moniker.

"This is for my boyfriend Simon [Konecki] who convinced me to do it and my lovely son. Thank you so much," she said while on stage.

When talking to reporters backstage following the awards, Adele also refused to provide any more details about her three-month-old.

"I am not sharing his name at the moment. It is very personal to me," she said. "I am enjoying him on my own."

However, later the same month, Adele was spotted in Los Angeles wearing a gold necklace that read "Angelo" — leading fans to speculate that was the name of her son with Konecki.

He made his recording debut on Adele's 25 album

Adele performs at Genting Arena on March 29, 2016 in Birmingham, England
Adele performs at Genting Arena on March 29, 2016 in Birmingham, England

Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Angelo was just a toddler when he made his recording debut with his mother. On her third album, 25, the 3-year-old can be heard at the beginning and end of "Sweetest Devotion." Adele recorded her son for the song, catching a snippet of him saying "I want to sit next to my mummy."

Not only does Angelo appear on the song, but it's also a track that Adele wrote specifically for her son.

"This song is all about my kid," she told USA Today. "I love that my life is now about someone else."

He also appeared on Adele's fourth studio album, 30

"Sweetest Devotion" isn't the only time Angelo has appeared in one of Adele's songs: In her fourth album, 30, bits of recorded conversations between Adele and her 9-year-old son appear on the track "My Little Love."

The "intense" discussions featured Adele explaining her split from Angelo's father, Konecki, to him. Adele opened up about her decision to use the voice notes in an October 2021 interview with Vogue, revealing that recording them was something her therapist suggested.

"Mommy's been having a lot of big feelings recently. ... I feel a bit confused," the Grammy award-winning singer can be heard saying in one message, before explaining to Angelo, "I love your dad 'cause he gave you to me. You're half me and you're half Daddy," in another.

In another voice note, Angelo told his mother, "Oy, I feel like you don't love me," before Adele responds, "You know mummy doesn't like anyone else like I like you, right?"

"He'll probably go through stages of hating it when he's a teenager …" Adele later joked in a November 2021 interview. "But it was an important part of the puzzle I was trying to figure out of my life — not the album — so I had to include it."

She dedicated her Grammy win for "Easy on Me" to him

On Feb. 5, 2023, Adele won the award for best pop solo performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards for her song "Easy on Me." The song is about Adele's divorce from Konecki, as she told British Vogue in October 2021, and features the mother of one explaining to her son why she decided to split from his father.

During her acceptance speech, Adele mentioned Angelo. "I just want to dedicate this to my son, Angelo," she said through tears.

She continued, "I wrote this first verse in the shower when I was choosing to change my son's life. He's been nothing but humble and gracious and loving to me the whole time."

His favorite artist is Taylor Swift

Angelo's mother may be a superstar, but she's not his favorite singer. That honor belongs to Taylor Swift, Adele revealed in her November 2021 Vogue cover story.

Adele took Angelo to one of Swift's Reputation stadium tour concerts in 2018. According to Adele, it was the first time he had seen a stadium full of people since he had previously only watched his mom warm up prior to performances.

"His jaw dropped. I got really annoyed! I was like, 'Excuse me! This is what I do, you know?' " Adele told Vogue, adding, "He said, 'When we go on tour, should I have a seat next to me with Taylor Swift's name on it for Taylor to come?' "

Angelo is also a big fan of Billie Eilish. In fact, Adele told ELLE in September 2022 that her son is "obsessed" with the artist.

"He'll go up to [his room] after school and read all the lyrics and then he'll want to discuss them," Adele said of Eilish's music.

He didn't see Adele perform live until he was 9 years old

Adele
Adele

Cliff Lipson/CBS

Though Angelo had previously accompanied his mom to rehearsals in empty stadiums, the first time he saw her perform live in front of an audience came in November 2021, during her One Night Only concert special on CBS.

While Adele sang new songs from 30 (as well as other popular hits from her previous albums) at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, she told the audience that "this is the first time my son has ever seen me perform."

"It's the absolute honor of my life to have you here tonight, baby," she added.

Adele later shared on Twitter that she had "never been so nervous in my life" for Angelo to watch her live for the first time.

He's won a (mini) Oscar before 

When Adele took home her first Academy Award in 2013 for her song "Skyfall," she made sure Angelo was recognized as well. The singer brought home a souvenir mini Oscar for Angelo, which read "Best Son," she revealed on Twitter.

It was fitting that Adele awarded Angelo for "Skyfall," as well since it was the only song she recorded while pregnant with him.

"I was heavily pregnant when I did the vocals for 'Skyfall,' and it's the only song I recorded when I was pregnant with him," she told Vogue's 73* Questions With Adele in November 2021, adding that her "voice was a lot lower" when she sang during her pregnancy.

"He also hated it when I was singing the high notes, he'd sort of kick around inside of me," she added.

He doesn't realize how famous his mother is

An incident at Angelo's school highlighted how he doesn't fully comprehend his mother's fame.

"There were a few older girls who chased him around [at school], asking if I was his mom. He was just like, 'I think her name's Adele, yeah. My mom. My mom,' " Adele told Vogue. "I'm not Adele to him. He felt like he was being bullied because they were annoying him. I said, 'That's not bullying. Just say, "Yeah, she's my mom. She wiped my ass!" ' "

Adele later told Oprah Winfrey during her CBS special that Angelo was just starting to comprehend his mother's fame.

"He's starting [to get it] ... but not really," she said.

Adele dedicated her 2022 BRIT Award to him 

Adele performs at The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena on February 8, 2022 in London, England
Adele performs at The BRIT Awards 2022 at The O2 Arena on February 8, 2022 in London, England

David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty

When Adele took home the 2022 BRIT Award for album of the year, she dedicated the coveted win to her ex-husband Konecki and her 9-year-old son Angelo. During her acceptance speech, Adele became emotional when she spoke about how "gracious" Angelo had been while she worked on 30.

"I'd like to dedicate this award to my son. And to Simon, to his dad. This album was all of our journey, not just mine and I'm very proud of myself for sticking to my guns and putting out an album that was about something so personal to me," she said as she began to tear up. " 'Cause not many people do stuff like that anymore. And my son has been so gracious, so gracious and kind and patient with me over the last couple of years and it's for him."

He is more important than anything in Adele's life (including her career)

Adele told Vanity Fair in December 2016 that she would give up every aspect of her musical career if it ever began to affect Angelo negatively.

"All of my relationships are more important to me than any tour I'll ever do," she said at the time. "If my relationship … with Angelo started to flounder a bit now, I would pull out of my tour."

She added, "My life is more important to me than anything I'm doing because how the f--- am I supposed to write a record if I don't have a life? If I don't have a real life, then it's game over anyway."