19-year old Brit singer Adele started out on the pub circuit and graduated to singing in venues with fewer pints dropped on the carpet. She honed her husky delivery at the Brit School, which was home to some other ladies with similar singing styles: Amy Winehouse and Kate Nash, to name a few. Only unlike Winehouse, Adele hasn’t built a rep on boozing. She’s hit the British charts singing breezy numbers that commit her crushes to song. Plan for a romantic night of smoky pop when Adele plays Bimbo’s on Thursday, May 22.

But first, a little taste of those pipes: Adele’s cover of the Strokes’ hit “Last Night,” done teenage lounge diva style. – Jennifer Maerz