Adele 'surfing British wave' in US

4:15pm Friday 4th July 2008

Adele admits she is surfing a wave created by the likes of Amy Winehouse and Duffy as she looks to conquer the American market.

With the release of album 19, the 20-year-old Londoner is looking to build on the recent success of her fellow Britons across the Atlantic.

She admits that her bid to crack the US market is a challenge, saying: "It's big, really big here. I'm looking forward to working here. In the UK, I was very fortunate that everything came so quickly."

She said: "It's cool coming over from the UK with the success, but you still have to properly work here. I'm looking forward to it. It's inspiring that I have to earn something again."

Asked if she was making it on her own or following in the trail of the success of Winehouse and Duffy, she said: "No, I think I'm riding the British wave. I don't think I'm here on my own at all. There are plenty of people who've come before and will come after."

Adele insisted she would not lose weight in her quest for success, saying: "I didn't do this because I wanted to be a sex symbol. I want to be a role model and I want to be an artist for people to refer to in 60 years for making a great album. I'll never sell out.

"If I'm ever underweight, there's something seriously wrong with me in my personal life.

"I've read things about me like, 'She's never going to make it because she's fat', but I'm never going to meet that person; why would I talk to them? Why would I believe what they're saying? And my boy likes it."

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