Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988 in London), known professionally as Adele, is an English soul and jazz singer. She is the first recipient of the Brit Awards Critics' Choice, which was given to artists who at the time had yet to release an album, and the Sound of 2008 title given by BBC 6 Music. Adele has also been hailed by the British press as "the new Amy Winehouse".