As Adele proclaimed in 2022 after a year of dating Rich Paul, 'I'm happy as I'll ever be.'
The queen of heartbreak songs has a new reason to sing a happier tune.
When Adele reemerged back in the spotlight in 2021 to drop her first album in six years, she returned a woman in love. The man in her life? Rich Paul, a prominent sports agent she's been dating since May 2021.
“He was always there, I just didn’t see him,” she told Vogue in 2021, revealing that they had been friends first after meeting at a party years earlier. Nowadays, Rich is much more than a pal -- he's basically her other half.
“I’m just in loooove!" she told Elle a year later. "I’m happy as I’ll ever be. I might as well be married.”
While wedding bells are not officially ringing just yet (though they have already sparked engagement rumors), Adele, who is a mom to 10-year-old Angelo with her ex-husband, Simon Konecki, has made it clear there will be more children in her future. But first, her Las Vegas residency -- where it seems there will always be an open seat for Rich.
"I’ve never been in love like this," she told Elle. "I’m obsessed with him."
So how did Adele go from crying her heart out to turning the tables in her personal life? Keep reading for a recap of their lovesong love story:
April 2019: Saying Goodbye to Simon
After nearly a decade together -- including less than a year of marriage -- Adele and Simon confirmed their separation in April 2019. Five months later, she filed for divorce, which was finalized in March 2021.
“We got married when I was 30… and then I left," she told British Vogue. Added the star, "It wasn’t very long." Despite the end of their marriage, their relationship has remained respectful and amicable as they co-parent their son. As Adele told Oprah Winfrey during their 2021 sit-down, "Even now, I trust him with my life."
May 2021: Things Turn Romantic With Rich
Shortly before the death of her father in May 2021, Rich "just incredibly arrived," she told Vogue, referencing the romantic shift of their relationship.
July 2021: A Public Debut
For their first public appearance as a couple, the two sat courtside together at Game Five of the NBA Finals. As an eyewitness told ET at the time, "They had their eyes on each other almost as much as they did on the game!"
September 2021: Instagram Official
If there were any doubts that Rich was indeed the man in Adele's life, she made it clear when she shared the first snap of them together on her Instagram feed -- a modern mark certifying their romance.
October 2021: En Vogue
For a cover story in Vogue and British Vogue's November 2021 issues, Adele opened up about their romance for the first time, confirming they were indeed dating and elaborating on how they met and later went public. “I didn’t mean to go public with it. I just wanted to go to the game. I just love being around him. I just love it," she told Vogue. “He was like, What are people going to say? And I was like, That you signed me. As an athlete. You’re my agent. And he was like, Okay, cool.”
February 2022: Diamond Alert
While attending the 2022 BRIT Awards, Adele set off major engagement speculation when she sported a massive pear-shaped diamond ring on her left hand ring finger. While she was initially cryptic about the ring, Adele ultimately confirmed to Elle that she was not engaged. "I just love high-end jewelry, boy!” she told the magazine. Still, the performer confirmed she "absolutely" wants to get married again.
August 2022: Babies on the Brain
In the midst of preparing for her postponed Las Vegas residency, which ultimately launched in November 2022, Adele confirmed to Elle that she "definitely" wants to have more children in the future. “I’m a homemaker and I’m a matriarch, and a stable life helps me with my music." Added Adele, “But right now, all I got in my brain is Vegas... I wanna f**king nail it.” Her comments echoed ones she shared on an episode of BBC Sounds' Desert Island Discs. "It'd be wonderful if we can," she said. "If not, I've got Angelo... I just want to be happy." During an interview with Graham Norton in February 2022, Adele hinted at just how soon she'd want to make that dream a reality. As she quipped, "I want a baby next year."
December 2022: A Birthday Serenade
During one of her Las Vegas shows in December, Adele made another declaration of love for Rich before serenading him with "Happy Birthday" on his special day. As she told the audience, "I love him more than life itself."
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