Like millions of other people, Adele was also captivated by the Titan submersible tragedy this week—so much that she stopped her concert momentarily to talk about it.
On June 22, U.S. authorities confirmed that OceanGate Expeditions' Titan tourist underwater craft, carrying five people, was destroyed in a "catastrophic implosion" during its voyage to reach the famous wreckage of the Titanic ship. On June 23, Adele spoke about the disaster onstage at her residency show at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, asking her audience of more than 4,000 people, "How crazy was that submersible story?"
As seen in a TikTok video shared by a fan, she answered her own question. "Absolutely crazy," she said. "It's so tragic."
The U.S. Coast Guard's confirmation of the destruction of the submersible followed a five-day search that was covered extensively by news outlets around the world and which dominated social media discourse and stirred much debate.
"I have been debating with my friends on our group chat. Everyone's like, 'I would never do that.' But that's a lie, because a lot of people will do that," Adele told her audience, before asking, "Before this week, how many people, if they could, would go down to the very, very bottom of the ocean to see the Titanic? Raise your hands."
Scores of people signaled affirmatively and cheered. "I knew it! Turn the lights on a minute so I can see the balconies," Adele said. "That's a very good proportion."
She then asked how many wouldn't opt to embark on such a voyage, drawing more cheers as well as a raised hand from her piano player.
Adele then asked her audience how many people would choose to travel to space if they were able to and if it didn't cost them any money. The reactions were mixed.
"I wouldn't do it either but only because I'm a bit of a p---y. I'm a scaredy cat of everything," she said. "I wouldn't even go on roller coasters. But also, I just genuinely don't have an interest in the deep sea or space."
The five passengers who died in the Titanic sub implosion were U.K. university student Suleman Dawood, 19, his dad and business Shahzada Dawood, plus billionaire and explorer Hamish Harding, 58, French oceanographer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, and the submersible's pilot and CEO of OceanGate, Stockton Rush, 61. See more information about the victims below: