Singer Adele has revealed her refusal to play at festivals or arenas due to fear of anxiety attacks

By Rebecca Coxon

The ‘Someone Like You’ singer has reportedly turned down large financial offers to play at a range of music events this summer due to her fear of performing in front of large audiences.

The 23 year old singer who declined headlining Glastonbury festival this year, told Q magazine: ‘I have anxiety attacks, constant panicking on stage, my heart feels like it's going to explode because I never feel like I'm going to deliver, ever.’

‘I will not do festivals. The thought of an audience that big frightens the life out of me. I don't think the music would work either. It's all too slow. I'd hate to book a festival and have a ******* anxiety attack and then not go on stage.’

Adele, who’s latest album 21 has spent 16 weeks at number 1,eagerly makes the point that money is not her motivation and that she has felt let down by artists in the past who ‘sell out’ and collaborate with advertising major brands for extra income and popularity.

The singer, whose career rocketed after performing live at the Brit Awards in February, is estimated to be worth £6 million, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

Along with festivals, Adele rejects the idea of playing at any large scaled venue including arenas. Determined to continue playing small venues, Adele declined the opportunity to play at the 23,000-capacity London O2 Arena due to her issues with anxiety.

She told EQ: ‘I'd rather do 12 years at the Barfly than one night at the O2’ and explained how some people could not seem to understand why she refused such enormous opportunities, ’So I've made all those decisions and some people are pretty mortified - they think I'm mad.’

With a summer free from touring the UK festival scene, Adele reveals that her chilled out and relaxing summer plans will include, ‘Sitting in Brockwell Park with my friends, drinking cider.’

But it’s not just anxiety attacks that Adele admits worrying about, she also claims to have become far more insecure since becoming successful: 'The more successful I get, the more insecurities I'm getting, it's weird. Not bad ones or nothing. Just about who I am. How I feel about things.

'I don't know if it's because I'm so blown away that people like what I do, but I just feel like I'm never going to live up to it.'