What To Expect From Tonight’s Adele NBC Special

2 minute read

You already know Adele has been having a wildly successful fall.

You may not know she has a bit of a potty mouth.

So the question ahead of her NBC special, Adele: Live in New York:, which airs Monday at 10 p.m.., isn’t really what you’ll see, but what you won’t see, considering some of her endearing but expletive-filled asides to her audience at Radio City Music Hall may not make it past the censors.

“I’ve been dying to do a f—ing show,” she told the crowd during last month’s taping of the concert special, which was produced by Saturday Night Live boss Lorne Michaels. He may have had something to do with all the SNL alumni, like Tina Fey, in attendance that evening. (Donald Trump was also there, and it says a lot about how universally adored Adele must be if she can bring the GOP frontrunner and the woman who famously parodied Sarah Palin under one roof.)

Though she of course had a new album to promote—perhaps you’ve heard that her third album, 25, demolished sales records in the U.S.—the setlist leans more on older material according to fan reports. Expect a mix of old favorites, including “Someone Like You” and “Hometown Glory” (which she dedicated to the victims of the Paris attacks), and 25 songs like her triumphant comeback single “Hello” and “When We Were Young,” which also scored the No. 4 spot on TIME’s best songs of the year.

Early reviews of the night have noted that there were no costume changes, no fireworks, no special guests, just Adele and her music. That’s what sets the singer apart from her pop peers; it’s why people buy her albums in a time when it’s more difficult than ever to shift records. As ever, it comes down to the voice—and those songs.

See Adele’s Life in Pictures

Great Escape - Day 3
Adele performs on the MTV2 Gonzo On Tour stage during the Great Escape Festival in Brighton, England, on May 19, 2007.Dave Etheridge-Barnes—Getty Images
LONDON - FEBRUARY 20: Adele receives the Critic's Choice Awards at The Brit Awards 2008 at Earls Court on February 20, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage) *** Local Caption ***
Adele receives the Critic's Choice Awards at The Brit Awards 2008 at Earls Court in London on Feb. 20, 2008 .Jon Furniss—WireImage/Getty Images
NEW YORK - JUNE 16: Singer Adele attends the "Late Show with David Letterman" at Ed Sullivan Theatre June 16, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
Adele attends the "Late Show with David Letterman" at Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City on June 16, 2008.Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
WASHINGTON - JANUARY 17: Musician Adele performs at the 9:30 Club on January 17, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Adele performs at the 9:30 Club in Washington on Jan. 17, 2009.Michael Loccisano—Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Adele arrives to the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center on February 8, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
Adele arrives at the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2009.Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Singer Adele visits the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater on March 30, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images)
Adele visits the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City on March 30, 2009.Ray Tamarra—Getty Images
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: (L-R) Jennifer Hudson, Adele, and Leona Lewis pose onstage during 2009 VH1 Divas at Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 17, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
Jennifer Hudson, Adele, and Leona Lewis pose onstage during the 2009 VH1 Divas at Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City on Sept. 17, 2009.Christopher Polk—Getty Images
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Adele performs a Live Lounge Special for BBC Radio 1 at BBC Maida Vale Studios on January 27, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Andy Sheppard/Redferns)
Adele performs a Live Lounge Special for BBC Radio 1 at BBC Maida Vale Studios in London on Jan. 27, 2011.Andy Sheppard—Redferns
Adele performs on stage at the The 28th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on August 28, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Adele performs on stage at the The 28th Annual MTV Video Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Aug. 28, 2011.Kevin Mazur—WireImage
DANCING WITH THE STARS THE RESULTS SHOW - "Episode 1208A" - Grammy Award¨-winning artist Adele performed, "Rolling in the Deep," the enormously popular first single from her No. 1 bestselling album, "21," on "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show," TUESDAY, MAY 10 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on ABC. (Photo by Adam Taylor/ABC via Getty Images)
Adele performing "Rolling in the Deep" on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars - the Results Show," on May 10, 2011.Adam Taylor—ABC/Getty Images
Adele at The BRIT Awards 2012 on Feb. 21, 2012 in London.
Adele at The BRIT Awards in London on Feb. 21, 2012.Eamonn McCormack—WireImage/Getty Images
Adele poses in the press room at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 12, 2012 in Los Angeles.
Adele poses in the press room at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 12, 2012.Dan MacMedan—WireImage/Getty Images
June 2012 ADELE LIVE IN LONDON -- Pictured: (l-r) Adele sits down with Matt Lauer to discuss her upcoming TV special Adele Live in London with Matt Lauer to air on NBC Sunday, June 3rd from 8-9 pm -- (Photo by: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Adele sits down with Matt Lauer to discuss her upcoming NBC special "Adele Live in London with Matt Lauer" on May 2, 2012.NBC/Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Singer Adele arrives at The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
Adele arrives at The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2013.Jon Kopaloff—FilmMagic
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 24: (L-R) Songwriter Paul Epworth and singer Adele, winners of the Best Original Song award for "Skyfall," with presenter Richard Gere pose in the press room during the Oscars held at Loews Hollywood Hotel on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Paul Epworth and Adele, winners of the Best Original Song award for "Skyfall," pose with presenter Richard Gere pose during the Oscars at Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, on Feb. 24, 2013.Jason Merritt—Getty Images

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Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com