Gabrielle spills backstage secrets about supporting ‘incredible’ Adele - ‘She’s flawless’

13 March 2025, 11:44

The ‘Dreams’ and ‘Out of Reach’ singer is setting out on a new tour this spring.

Gabrielle has opened up about her “incredible” experience supporting Adele at American Express Presents BST Hyde Park in 2022.

Speaking exclusively with Smooth’s Angie Greaves ahead of heading out on her 2025 The Hits Live UK and Ireland tour, the ‘Out of Reach’ and ‘Rise’ singer revealed all about what it was like to support the ‘Someone Like You’ artist.

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“To this day... I can’t believe that happened,” the 55-year-old admitted, thinking back to those two summer shows.

“Until the time I went on stage I was like ‘Are we sure this is going to happen?’” she added jokingly.

Watch Gabrielle's Smooth interview in full below:

Gabrielle spills backstage secrets about supporting Adele & reminisces about Bridget Jones

“She’s flawless”

While Gabrielle was starstruck by the idea of getting to support the ‘Hello’ star, Adele later fangirled on stage about having Gabrielle supporting her.

“The fact that even when she went on stage she was talking about me, again, you can’t ever take this away from me,” Gabrielle gushed.

She also revealed that the ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ singer was watching her sets from backstage while getting ready to perform later.

“So many great things happened that year, but to be on that stage, to actually have her [watching] my stage in rollers with my sound guys!” the ‘Dreams’ singer reminisced, still in disbelief.

“I thought: ‘This woman is amazing. Just doing her own thing, rocking out and just chilling and singing along.’”

Asked if she’d support Adele again at a concert, Gabrielle sweetly replied she thinks she’d be too nervous to open again for the “flawless” but “down to earth” singer.

“If I ever had to support her again I’d be like: ‘No I can’t, because I’m too scared!’ She was incredible, but I don’t think I can do it twice because she was so amazing!”

Dreams can come true

Gabrielle last toured the UK in 2023 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her fan-favourite track ‘Dreams’.

The song will be turning 33 years old this year, and the singer will still be proudly belting it out every evening for her fans.

Gabrielle - Dreams

“The idea of not adding ‘Dreams’ to my repertoire of songs... If you ever heard of that happening, I think you’d have to question if it really was me!” she told Angie, laughing.

Another much-loved Gabrielle hit is ‘Out of Reach’, the song she composed for the first Bridget Jones film in 2001.

After being cryptically gifted the book by her label’s boss, the artist was delighted to be asked to write a song for the film.

Gabrielle - Out Of Reach

“Instantly I knew what I was going to write about, because the memory, the characters were so fresh in my mind,” Gabrielle recalled.

“I’m happy that [Out of Dreams] forever will be associated with that franchise, because I’m really proud of it and I love the response [it gets].”

“They keep me grounded”

The singer is also forever grateful for the love her fans have shown her over the years.

“As a menopausal middle-aged woman, when there are times I’m looking like: ‘What is happening?’ and you just want to walk away from everything... You’re brought down to earth when you start connecting with your audience,” she shared.

“When they’re speaking to you, when they’re telling you about what your music has meant to them in their lives...

“All of these things keep me grounded, make me emotional, but realise I’m doing the best thing that I love doing, and I have the best response and the most amazing, fabulous audience, and that’s why I’m doing this all again,” Gabrielle gushed.

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On her new tour, Gabrielle will be treating audiences to all her greatest hits, from “the booty shakers” to her most emotional tracks.

The ‘Sunshine’ singer can’t wait to get back out there to perform across the nation along with her own special guest, Lighthouse Family’s Tunde.

Gabrielle’s The Hits Live will be touring the UK and Ireland from March 29 to April 18. For tickets and more info: gabrielle.co.uk