Adele hasn't dyed her hair purple or lost 100 lb., and she doesn't mask her talent behind outrageous costumes or dance routines. For that alone she should be applauded. In an otherwise glitzy, amped-up awards show that keeps sneaking in camera shots of the Jersey Shore cast, it's heartening to hear a truly talented woman sing a mournful torch song for someone who has left her for someone better. And if her stellar performance, accompanied by only a piano, isn't enough to melt your heart, then her nervous wave to the audience at the end definitely will. Adele doesn't appear to know why she's been embraced by MTV's audience or why she's so internationally beloved, but she accepts it in stride. If you want to watch her heart break, she is willing to break it for you again and again.
Grade: A