Adele interview Today Show tells Matt Lauer: 'I don't want to be a celebrity'

The eight-time Grammy winner talks with TODAY's Matt Lauer about her career highs, the downsides of fame, and the vocal surgery that saved her voice.

By Courtney Hazlett

Eight-time Grammy winner Adele is set to perform in her first network special, NBC’s "Adele Live in London," and ahead of that Tuesday, June 5 broadcast, the singer sat down with Matt Lauer to talk about her phenomenal rise to fame.

Calling her recent Grammy performance — her first since having surgery on her vocal chords — her "most elegant night," Adele points out that fame has brought with it an abundance of rumor.

"I was adopting an Ethiopian child … that’s not true. My house was haunted, that wasn’t true. God, there’s been so many (rumors)," she told Lauer. "I don’t want to be a celebrity … I don’t want to be in people’s faces, you know, constantly on covers of magazine that I haven’t even known I’m on."

Despite her status, Adele said that she’s managed some modicum of anonymity from time to time, even walking through tourist haven Trafalgar Square without being recognized.

"I was a bit worried. I was in my pajamas. I was in color. I’m always in black. I threw pumps on, this massive green coat and then little pink pumps. Nobody recognized me," she said. "A couple looked round but they were like, 'No, she’s in color.' And what would she be doing walking through a packed Trafalgar Square on a Saturday?"

Although Adele’s success has brought with it some perks (such as celebrity friends like Elton John, offering his support during her recovery from surgery), Adele has a singular focus: music.

"I just wanna make music. I don’t want anyone chatting about me, really. I still hope I have a little bit of clout in 10 years. All I’ve ever wanted to do is sing."