Adele says her new album 30 is a way of talking "truly, madly, deeply" about who she is and the difficulties she has faced following her divorce.

The singer discussed a range of topics such as her son Angelo, her father's death and her dramatic weight loss, during a sit-down with American chat show host Oprah Winfrey to launch her new album.

The two-hour special, broadcast on Sunday night in the US, included the exclusive interview as well as a pre-recorded live performance.

The 33-year-old explored the stories behind some of the tracks, including the breakdown of her marriage.

Speaking in the same rose garden where Winfrey conducted her headline-grabbing interview with Britain's Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Adele said she had worried that the album would be too personal.

"I think the reason I'm so brave to do it in my career so far is because music helped me in any situation and I would like to do the same for people who are so alone ... to be reminded that they're not alone," she said.

"There were moments where I was writing the record and I thought that might be a bit too private, too about myself to put out.

"But nothing is as scary as what I've been through over the past few years behind closed doors. So, I'm not frightened about what people might or might not do."

Adele wore an all-white outfit for the interview, with white trousers and matching blazer made by designer Christopher John Rogers, and Winfrey also opted for a neutral wardrobe.

The Oscar and Grammy winner said that she and ex-husband Simon Konecki did not talk about the upcoming album, but added that they remained friends.

She added that 30 was dedicated to her son Angelo and is a way of showing him "who I am".

"The whole album is not about him, it's about me and I just wanted him to hear me talking madly deeply about who I am and how I feel," she said.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to have that conversation with him in real life, so he can go and listen to it."

The interview was interspersed with footage of an exclusive concert, which was pre-recorded at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

Ahead of the special's broadcast, Adele said she had never been so nervous for a performance in her life due to Angelo being in the audience alongside celebrity guests including Drake, Lizzo and James Corden.

Midway through the live show, the singer engineered a surprise proposal for a couple of fans, who successfully got engaged onstage in front of the audience.

She described the observatory as "the most beautiful venue I've ever played" and posted pictures of the event on Twitter.

Among the tracks performed were earlier hits Hello, Someone Like You and Rolling in the Deep.

The four new songs were I Drink Wine, Hold On and Love is a Game, as well as her comeback single Easy on Me.

30, a follow-up to 2015's 25, arrives officially on 19 November and is one of the most significant music releases in recent years.

Source: Press Association

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