Fucked up exclusive interview
“Terrible mistake”: TV reporter explains why he was not familiar with Adele’s album
Adele has just released her fourth studio album, “30”
© Simon Emmett / DPA
Because he did not know her new album, an exclusive Adele interview with Australian TV reporter Matt Doran failed. Now Doran has commented on the incident – and explained how the breakdown came about.
It should have been the highlight of his journalistic career – and it turned out to be his greatest disaster. Australian TV reporter Matt Doran made international headlines this week with a failed Adele interview. Because he did not know the singer’s new album, Adele is said to have broken off the exclusive interview – so it was read – and prohibited any broadcast of the material.
Doran and the TV team flew to London especially to conduct the only Australian pre-interview with the megastar for Channel 7. An opportunity that otherwise only greats like Oprah Winfrey get and for which his broadcaster paid a lot of money. How could it go so wrong?
Doran has now personally answered this question on Australian television. In a two and a half minute statement, he explains in front of the camera how the breakdown came about and apologizes to Adele and all fans and viewers. He made a “terrible mistake” and “insulted” Adele. “This story has sparked a flurry of abuse and ridicule from around the world, and if I’m honest, I deserve the majority of those abuse and I fully stand for the mistake.”
Fatal email glitch
However, Doran explains further, he did not listen to Adele’s new album “30” out of ignorance or disinterest, but rather as a result of a mishap. “I made the terrible mistake of assuming we wouldn’t get a pre-release copy of the album because our interview was on air before it was released and Adele’s album was the best-kept secret in the business.”
In fact, Adele’s record company Sony Doran had made the album available in advance – which Doran had overlooked. “The day after we landed in London, I got an email from Sony that didn’t mention Adele, but included a link to her album,” says Doran. He had simply skipped over the mail. “The real, irrefutable truth is that I missed it. By an absurdly large distance the most important email I have ever missed in my life.”
Emotional conversation
Regardless of this, emphasizes the visibly bent TV presenter, Adele did not break off the interview prematurely, as was initially reported. The interview lasted 29 minutes, which is longer than originally planned. Although he hadn’t listened to the album beforehand, half of the interview time was all about Adele’s new music.
On Adele’s fourth studio album “30”, which was released on November 19 and is already one of the best-selling of the year, the British singer processed, among other things, the divorce from her husband and father of her son. It could and should have been an interview full of emotional depth.
Simon Emmett / Columbia Records / PA Media / dpa
“I thought it would be short-sighted to describe it simply as something about divorce, that it is about empowerment and that inspires people to have the courage to re-direct their lives,” gives Doran glimpses the conversation that Sony has banned from broadcasting. The two would have talked about how the album would have cemented the relationship between Adele and her recently deceased father. “We talked about the paradox of being the most famous artist in the world but hating fame, we also talked at length about the concept of pure art, the majesty of Adele’s voice and how it must be to make that sound out of your own Mouth to hear. ” Adele was profound, funny and open.
“But none of that matters because I insulted Adele for not finding the link to the album, however I try to justify it,” Doran said. “I say to Adele: I never knowingly disrespected you by deliberately not listening to your work. I’m very sorry.”