Adele Covers TIME Magazine, talks on Motherhood, Social Media and More

British singer Adele is now the cover star for the latest issue of TIME Magazine.

Adele gave a series of interviews , over the course of which she discussed all matters of motherhood, self-branding, breaking records, and social media.

The “Hello” hit singer still can’t quite wrap her head around the fact that the

album sold 3.38 million copies in the U.S. in its first week. “It’s a bit

ridiculous,” she says, considering, “I’m not even from America.” Her

explanation? “Maybe they think I’m related to the Queen. Americans are

obsessed with the royal family.”

See more Excerpts below:

On being called a brand : They all use that word. It makes me sound like a

fabric softener, or a packet of crisps.“Youhave to be a whole package,”she explains, “if you’re expecting people to let you in and give themselves to you.”

On why people respond so well to her music: The fact that I’m not shy or

embarrassed to be falling apart. Everyone falls apart, I think. A lot of people

try to be brave and not shed a tear. Sometimes when you know someone else feels as s— as you do, or approaches things in a certain way just like you do, it makes you feel better about yourself. Even though my music is melancholy, there’s also joy in that. I hope I do bring joy to people’s lives, and not just sadness, but I think there’s there’s a comfort in it. But I honestly don’t know. If I knew, I would bottle it, and sell it to everyone else.

On social media: Privacy is key to being able to write a real record, whether

people like it or not. My life has changed so much, but I’ve made the realest

record I can make, and it’s the real part of me. How am I supposed to write a

real record if I’m waiting for half a million likes on a f—ing photo? That ain’t

real.

On maintaining a good image: Some artists, the bigger they get, the more

horrible they get, and the more unlikable. I don’t care if you make an amazing

album—if I don’t like you, I ain’t getting your record. I don’t want you being

played in my house if I think you’re a bastard.

On being a mum : The environment in which my kid is growing up couldn’t be

further away from the way I grew up. But there was never any embarrassment about showing love in my family. The other day I was saying, ‘Oh God, I’m finding this really hard again with a kid’. I have no time for myself because in between doing this, all my spare time is with him. But then I realized, he’s been keeping me totally cool and calm about the whole thing

On taking time off music for her family : I was very conscious to make sure

that our bond was strong and unbreakable. I had to get to that point before I’d come back.