When the U.K. press began dubbing
Adele "the next
Amy Winehouse" in late 2007, the hype didn't touch upon the heavy singer/songwriter influence found in the Londoner's music. Influenced by
Suzanne Vega as much as
Jill Scott,
Adele first made an impression in 2006 when she toured as an opening act for
Jack Penate. She had graduated to headlining status by the end of 2007, thanks to BBC Radio 1 playing her single "Daydreamer;" another song, "Hometown Glory," was also released as a single on
Jamie T.'s label, Pacemaker. An appearance alongside
Paul McCartney and
Björk on the BBC 2 television show Later with Jools Holland came next, and a recording contract with XL Recordings was finalized soon after. Early 2008 brought similar luck as
Adele found herself atop the BBC's new music talent list, which was compiled from the votes of 150 music critics. That same January, XL issued a new single, "Chasing Pavements," along with her debut album,
19. The title reflected
Adele's age at the time of the album's release, and its popularity resulted in the release of several bonus editions throughout the year. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide