Adele is fabulous. She’s up for six Grammy Awards on Sunday. And just like she has grabbed our hearts, she’s sure to grab her deserved share of awards. Adele’s blog is full of charm, too. As my heart is unusually full of her songs, I was stricken by the news that Adele recently recovered from surgery for a vocal cord hemorrhage. And during her recovery, this lifetime London resident moved to the country. Why?
“The idea is for her to live in the countryside, away from the capital’s smog and pollution.”
A source told the British newspaper, The Mirror that she is “deeply invested in her health at the moment.”
As well she should be–and as we all should be. Air pollution in the form of smog isn’t good for anyone’s voice. Singers are especially vulnerable as the American Lung Association and WedMD point out,
“Smog is a type of air pollution that results from a mix of gases and particulates reacting with sunlight. The particulates found in smog can include smoke, dust, sand, and pollen…American Lung Association says that more than 175 million people — about 58% of the population — still live where pollution levels frequently make it difficult for some people to breathe. Ground-level ozone is a pollutant that contributes to smog… it aggravates asthma, irritates the lungs, and makes it difficult to breathe. Long-term inflammation from breathing in too much ground-level ozone can permanently scar lung tissue.”
I love the video of Adele singing–and talking about the inspiration for the song–“Someone Like You” in her home. However, as a mom, I have to add: Ditch the cigarettes, too, please, darling. You’re just sucking concentrated, toxic air pollution right down your precious throat–and being a bad influence on girls.
We want our children to grow up singing their hearts out, too. Who would have thought that singing would be yet another reason to fight for clean air? Adele is right. But let’s clean up our air, rather than force people out of our cities.
I’m raising my voice–and a toast–to Adele and clean air!