Let's be real: the internet is a weird place. One day you're looking up a recipe for sourdough, and the next you’re three hours deep into a thread convinced that Sam Smith and Adele are actually the same person.
It sounds like a fever dream. Honestly, it is. But for a few years, this specific conspiracy theory didn't just live in the dark corners of Reddit; it basically took over Twitter and TikTok.
The "evidence" was everywhere. You’ve probably seen the video. Someone takes a vinyl record of Adele's 25 album, specifically the track "Hello," and slows it down. Suddenly, that soulful, earth-shattering soprano morphs into a rich, melancholic baritone that sounds eerily like the voice behind "Stay With Me."
People lost their minds. "Have you ever seen them in the same room?" became the rallying cry of the skeptics. It's the kind of pop culture mystery that's fun because it’s just plausible enough to make you squint at your screen, even though your brain knows better.
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The Viral Clip That Started the Chaos
It all kicked off back in 2018. A user named Jesse on Twitter posted a clip of Adele's "Hello" being played on a turntable. When he manually slowed the RPMs, the pitch dropped.
The result? It sounded like Sam Smith was hidden inside Adele's vocal cords.
Then came "Example B." Jesse slowed down "Million Years Ago," and the resemblance was even more striking. It wasn't just the pitch; it was the phrasing. The way they both pull at the ends of words. That specific London-bred vibrato.
The video racked up over four million views. It’s a strange acoustic fluke. When you pitch-shift a powerful, resonant voice like Adele's down by a few semi-tones, it naturally lands in the frequency range where Sam Smith’s voice lives.
Why the math doesn't quite add up
If you try to do the reverse—speeding up Sam Smith to find Adele—the magic kinda disappears. Most people who tried it ended up with something that sounded more like a chipmunk or, weirdly enough, Halsey.
It turns out that human vocal anatomy doesn't scale perfectly in both directions. Adele’s chest voice has a thickness that, when slowed, mimics Sam’s natural resonance. But Sam’s head voice, which they use a lot, doesn't have the same harmonic structure as Adele’s belted notes when sped up.
The "Never Seen Together" Problem
In the world of celebrity conspiracies, the "same room" rule is king. If two A-list stars haven't been photographed hugging at the Met Gala or sitting next to each other at the Grammys, the internet assumes they are a shapeshifter.
For a long time, there were literally no photos of Sam Smith and Adele together. None.
Think about how wild that is. Both are British powerhouses. Both have won the "Big Four" Grammys. Both recorded Oscar-winning James Bond themes ("Skyfall" for her, "Writing's on the Wall" for them). They move in the exact same circles.
Sam actually addressed this on The Drew Barrymore Show in early 2023. They called it the "craziest rumor" they'd ever heard.
"Everyone seems to think that I'm Adele in drag because we've never been seen in the same room together," Sam joked.
They even leaned into the humor of it, basically admitting that the vocal similarities are "kinda" there if you squint your ears. But the reality is much more boring: they just happen to be two different people who are very, very good at singing sad songs.
What Sam Smith Really Thinks of the Comparisons
While the internet thinks it’s a hoot, Sam Smith hasn't always been the biggest fan of the constant link.
Back in 2015, they told Rolling Stone that the comparisons were actually a bit annoying. It wasn't about the music, though. It was about the industry's obsession with pigeonholing artists.
"It just annoys me that people can't digest two pop stars singing really personal songs who don't look like normal pop stars," Sam said at the time.
That hits on a deeper point. Adele and Sam both broke the mold of the "manufactured" pop star. They didn't rely on heavy choreography or neon aesthetics. They relied on raw, emotional transparency.
Because they both occupy that "soulful Brit" lane, the industry (and the fans) tried to make them two sides of the same coin. But musically, they’re pretty distinct. Adele is heavily influenced by Etta James and classic soul; Sam’s roots are more firmly planted in gospel and 90s R&B.
The Grammy Gap and Other Logistics
If they were the same person, that person would be the most exhausted human on earth.
Let's look at the trophy cabinet. Adele has 16 Grammys. Sam has 5. If they were one person, they’d be managing two entirely different touring schedules, two different management teams, and two different record labels (Columbia for her, Capitol for them).
Plus, there’s the age thing. Adele was born in 1988. Sam was born in 1992.
Unless this is some Parent Trap level of long-con where a single child was split into two personas four years apart, the theory falls apart under any real scrutiny.
The Bond Connection
One of the coolest parallels, though, is their work with the 007 franchise.
- Adele (2012): Released "Skyfall." It won the Oscar, the Golden Globe, and the Grammy. It’s widely considered one of the best Bond themes ever.
- Sam Smith (2015): Released "Writing's on the Wall" for Spectre. It also won the Oscar and the Golden Globe.
Both songs are orchestral, dramatic, and lean heavily on that "British melancholy" that both artists have mastered. If you’re looking for why people connect them, it’s this shared DNA of grand, cinematic storytelling.
Why We Want the Conspiracy to Be True
Honestly? It's because we love the idea of a secret.
In an era where we know what every celebrity ate for breakfast thanks to Instagram, the idea that two of the biggest stars in the world are pulling a massive prank is comforting. It adds a bit of mystery back into the mix.
But beyond the memes, the connection between Sam Smith and Adele represents a specific era of music. An era where the voice—just the voice—was enough to sell millions of records.
They both represent a shift away from the hyper-polished EDM pop of the late 2000s toward something that felt more "real." Whether they're the same person (they aren't) or just two incredibly talented Londoners, they changed the landscape of modern pop.
Moving Beyond the Memes
If you're still convinced there's a secret connection, the best thing to do is actually listen to the discographies back-to-back.
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Start with Adele’s 21 and then jump into Sam’s In the Lonely Hour. You’ll hear the similarities in the heartbreak, sure. But you’ll also hear the differences in the texture. Adele’s voice is like mahogany—deep, grained, and heavy. Sam’s is like silk—fluid, light, and capable of soaring into a falsetto that Adele doesn't typically touch.
To truly appreciate the artistry of both without the "same person" noise, try these steps:
- Watch their live sessions: Look for Adele’s Live at the Royal Albert Hall and Sam Smith’s Live at Abbey Road Studios. The vocal techniques are vastly different when you see them in action.
- Check the writing credits: Both artists are heavily involved in their songwriting. Compare the lyrical themes; Sam often focuses on unrequited queer love and self-discovery, while Adele’s work is a chronological diary of her specific life stages (19, 21, 25, 30).
- Follow the discography evolution: Sam has moved into much more experimental, upbeat pop territory lately (think "Unholy"), while Adele has largely stayed true to her ballad roots.
The conspiracy is a fun internet relic, but the actual music is way more interesting than a slowed-down vinyl record.