Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 01/23/2013 at 8:57 AM News

The Popdust Files: adele, oscars, Skyfall, upcoming performances

Hey, you guys remember Adele, right? Yeah, that earthy, emotionally overwhelmed woman who showed up to collect at the Golden Globes was once one of our country’s greatest pop stars, earning chart-topping hits and soundtracking heartbreaks worldwide with her diamond-selling 21 album. She took her victory lap for the LP at the 2012 Grammys in February, performing her “Rolling in the Deep.” And that was the last we ever saw of her.

Until now. Reports say that Ms. Adkins will be appearing at the Academy Awards this year, to perform her Best Song Oscar nominee (and likely favorite) “Skyfall.” But will the world be too different now for Adele to make any kind of impact with her live appearance? I mean, consider what the world was like at the time of the chanteuse’s last live US gig:

• Channing Tatum was just “That Dude,” rather than one of our country’s greatest movie stars
• Tim Tebow was still the assumed quarterback of the Denver Broncos, with Peyton Manning considering his options.
• Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez were still a model celebrity couple, Taylor Swift was dating…actually, I don’t think we even knew exactly who she was dating back then.
• No one would’ve used the word “Catfish’d” to describe someone getting romantically hoaxed, unless they had seen a particularly controversial 2010 documentary.
• Beyoncé’s reputation as a live performer was still unassailable.

Can Adele still make it as a live performer under this new stateside social climate? Truly, only time will tell.