Adele admits she ‘totally gets’ the cultural appropriation backlash she received over her controversial Notting Hill Carnival outfit.
The Hello singer, who’s set to make a comeback with her new single next week, faced criticism when she shared a photo of herself wearing Bantu knots and a Jamaican flag bikini to celebrate London’s Notting Hill Carnival last year.
She was on holiday in Jamaica at the time but wanted to show support for her fellow Londoners.
Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event in West London which was formed to celebrate Caribbean culture at a time when local Black Brits were being racially targeted.
Addressing the response to her outfit, Adele said in the UK and US’ November issue of Vogue: ‘I could see comments being like, “the nerve to not take it down”, which I totally get. But if I take it down, it’s me acting like it never happened. And it did.
‘I totally get why people felt like it was appropriating.’
‘If you don’t go dressed to celebrate the Jamaican culture – and in so many ways we’re so entwined in that part of London – then it’s a little bit like, “What you coming for, then?”’
She then admitted: ‘I didn’t read the f**king room. I was wearing a hairstyle that is actually to protect Afro hair. Ruined mine, obviously.’
At the time, Adele, 33, received support for many Black celebrities, including Jamaican artist Popcaan who left a heart emoji under her photo.
Singer Alexandra Burke also defended her in a lengthy post, which said: ‘’I see the pic. She looks hot. She’s obviously been working on her body, that for me is a big deal. She’s looking good.
‘As a Jamaican girl myself, my girl has grown up in black culture. People forget she’s from Tottenham. She probably eats jerk chicken all the time like all of us.
‘All I’m saying is the girl looked good, leave her. Allow her man. If Popcaan is going to endorse it and say yes my girl you’re wearing the flag and you’re wearing it well. Let her live her best life, leave her alone. We love Adele.’
Adele is preparing to return to music after six years with the release of her new single, Easy On Me, next Friday.
Elsewhere in her interview, the Someone Like You singer opened up about her divorce from Simon Konecki and the reaction to her weight loss.
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