Lauren Spencer Smith's Spark Is Adele's 21

Lauren Spencer Smith's Spark Is Adele's 21

Author: Adam Unze - Music & Film Interviews July 2, 2025 Duration: 28:20

Singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith joins Adam to talk about her biggest musical inspiration: Adele’s breakthrough album, 21. Lauren shares how hearing “Rolling in the Deep” as a kid changed everything for her, why Adele’s powerhouse vocals and honest songwriting became her comfort zone and how 21 shaped her own journey as an artist.


Lauren opens up about singing Adele songs at every competition, learning every vocal nuance and how Adele’s ability to blend genres and emotions inspired her to find her own voice. Adam and Lauren also discuss the impact of 21’s massive hits—like “Someone Like You,” “Rumour Has It” and “Turning Tables”—and what makes the album a timeless classic for songwriters and fans alike.


About Lauren Spencer Smith:

Lauren is a chart-topping singer-songwriter known for her raw vocals and relatable lyrics. She first gained major attention as an American Idol finalist and has since built a global fanbase with her viral singles and debut album. Lauren's new album The Art Of Being A Mess is out now!


About Adele’s 21:

Released in 2011, Adele’s 21 is one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century, featuring hits like “Rolling in the Deep,” “Someone Like You,” and “Set Fire to the Rain.” The album blends soul, pop, blues, and country influences, earning multiple Grammy Awards including Album of the Year. 21 is praised for its emotional depth, unforgettable melodies, and Adele’s stunning vocal performances.


In this episode:

  • Lauren’s first memories of hearing Adele and buying her music
  • Why 21 became Lauren’s comfort album and creative blueprint
  • The influence of Adele’s vocals, songwriting, and genre-blending on Lauren’s own music
  • How personal storytelling and emotional honesty make 21 a modern classic
  • Favorite tracks from 21 and the stories behind them




The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.


Follow us on social media:

Instagram/Bluesky/TikTok: @sparkparade


Subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen!


For more info, visit: www.thesparkparade.com






Copyright © 2025 The Spark Parade. All rights reserved.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


What single piece of art-an album, a film, a television show-fundamentally altered your creative path? That's the central question of The Spark Parade, a podcast hosted by Adam Unze. This isn't a standard interview format; it's a focused excavation of a singular, transformative work. Each conversation with an actor, musician, or cultural icon revolves entirely around that one catalytic piece of culture that ignited their journey. The discussion delves into the personal history and emotional resonance of the work, whether it's a cult classic or a mainstream hit, tracing how its influence continues to echo through their life and career. Listeners are invited into these intimate reflections, hearing stories from artists like Margaret Cho and Maya about the moments of inspiration that sparked everything. The podcast operates at the intersection of music, film, and personal narrative, offering a unique lens on the creative process. By concentrating on a single artifact, each episode provides a deep, nuanced portrait of both the artist and the art that made them. You'll come away from the podcast not just with a recommendation, but with an understanding of how art shapes identity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Spark Parade
Podcast Episodes
Tune-Yard's Merrill Garbus' Spark Is Ani DiFranco's Not A Pretty Girl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:20
What album shaped Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus as both an artist and a person? Ani DiFranco’s Not a Pretty Girl.In this episode of The Spark Parade, Merrill joins host Adam Unze to reflect on the raw, political, and poetic…
Ok Go front man Damian Kulash's Spark Is Fugazi's Repeater [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
Damian Kulash, lead singer and guitarist of OK Go, joins Adam for an unforgettable conversation about the album that changed his life: Fugazi’s landmark 1990 release Repeater.Damian shares his teenage memories of discove…
Suzanne Vega's Spark Is Lou Reed's Berlin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:42
Legendary singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega joins Adam to discuss her deep connection to Lou Reed’s 1973 concept album Berlin — a haunting, operatic record that became a major influence on her songwriting, especially her ic…
Goldie's Spark Is Style Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:24
Legendary drum and bass DJ and producer Goldie joins Adam for a deep dive into the cultural force that helped shape his identity: the groundbreaking graffiti documentary Style Wars.From his first encounters with the film…
corook's Spark Is Juno [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:24
This week on The Spark Parade, Adam is joined by the incredible musician Corook for a deep dive into Juno, the 2007 indie classic starring Elliot Page and Michael Cera. Together, they unpack the film's raw honesty, its n…
ZORA's Spark Is Spy Kids 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:25
In this episode, Adam Unze sits down with ZORA, the genre-blurring artist and producer, to dive deep into the nostalgic world of Spy Kids 2 and its lasting cultural impact. They discuss why the film remains iconic, how e…
David Gray's Spark Is Van Morrison's Astral Weeks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:35
🎙️ In this episode, host Adam sits down with singer-songwriter David Gray to explore his deep connection to Van Morrison’s iconic album Astral Weeks. From his first listen at university to his eventual obsession, David u…
Bishop Briggs' Spark Is My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:15
Singer and songwriter Bishop Briggs loves the sweeping emo theatricality of My Chemical Romance's breakout album The Black Parade. She's drawn to its punchy lyrics and anthemic melodies, but also loves the risk taking ae…
Chris Diamantopoulos' Spark Is George Michaels' Faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:47
Prolific actor Chris Diamantopoulos latched onto George Michael's monster hit solo debut album Faith at a young age. It resonated with him as a fellow singer of Greek descent, but he was also blown away by Michael's song…