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.


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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
Girli's Spark Is Legally Blonde [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:45
Singer/songwriter Girli started watching the classic Reese Witherspoon movie Legally Blonde as a small child and loved that it embraced a traditionally girlie femininity while still embraces feminist principles like the…
Maya Hawke's Spark Is Euripides' The Bacchae [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
This week on The Spark Parade, the multi-talented Maya Hawke celebrates Chaos Angel by diving into an old, and we mean old, piece of art that has remained a source of inspired for years -- Euripides' classic Greek traged…
Sasha Alex Sloan's Spark Is Fleishman Is In Trouble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:58
Singer/songwriter Sasha Alex Sloan was so taken by the limited series Fleishman Is In Trouble that it inspired a song on her new album Me Again. Sloan connected with the series' themes of facing middle age, the breakdown…
Shannon And The Clams's Spark Is Patsy Cline's 12 Greatest Hits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
Shannon and The Clams vocalist Shannon Shaw has been drawn to Patsy Cline's smooth, sad, devastating voice since she was a small child and the songs on Patsy Cline's 12 Greatest Hits have had a huge impact on her own son…
Blake Crouch's Spark Is The Coen Brother's No Country for Old Men [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:18
Dark Matter author, screenwriter, and showrunner Blake Crouch was more than familiar with Cormac McCarthy's bleak but beloved novel No Country for Old Men by the time the Coen brothers adapted it for the big screen. Even…
Jade Bird's Spark Is Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:11
Canadian singer-songwriter Jade Bird first took the jagged little pill as a kid -- yes, that Jagged Little Pill. It might have tasted bitter at the time, but ever since, her admiration for Alanis Morissette and her groun…
Rico Nasty and Boys Noize [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Rapper Rico Nasty and producer/DJ Boys Noize have made a habit out of turning genres on their head, stepping outside of drawn lines, and adding a somewhat aggressive bent to whatever project they happen to be currently w…
X Ambassadors' Sam Nelson Harris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:56
X Ambassador's frontman Sam Nelson Harris was so blown away by Richard Linklater's bold and wildly ambitious film Boyhood that he saw it twice in the same day. And it's a three-hour movie! Sam was struck by the dedicatio…
Fallout's Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:53
Fallout actors Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten understand the power of artistic re-interpretation. So, when it comes to their respective 'sparks,' both actors chose songs performed by someone other than who originally wrote…
Nyambi Nyambi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:44
Night Court actor Nyambi Nyambi was enthralled with Kim Jung Gi's sprawling, interconnected covers for Marvel Comics' Civil War II series not just for their artistry, but for the masterful artistic practices used to crea…