A currently unidentified New Yorker has become an urban legend of sorts, and while we know few details about her as a person, her lip-syncing of Adele songs has become legendary on the subway.
While London’s tube system is iconic – or infamous, depending on who you ask – New York City’s subway is another beast entirely. Between bizarre public appearances, hauntings, and people flogging kittens to commuters, there are more than enough instances to suggest the subway system is more than a series of tunnels and stations. It’s its own ecosystem; some Upside Down-like dimension where literally anything can happen.
Case in point, New York’s resident Adele impersonator. We know precisely zero details about the mysterious queen, and yet, she pops up every few weeks in various viral TikToks. Now, after months of sightings across the city, we have a short film that sparks more questions than answers. Take a look, and leave a tip.
Her microphone seems to be plugged into a suitcase?!
@madelinexoxo3 found her omg the fake adele singer #fyp #adele #nyc #subway
Throughout many of the videos, which are almost always the unidentified icon singing Adele, her microphone is seemingly plugged into a suitcase as a speaker plays the song straight from a streaming app.
This girl was a fan before witnessing it herself
@katenalon Yes Adele!! She was iconic tho #adele #subway #timesquare
We don’t know her name, but at this point, the Adele impersonator on the New York subway is basically a celebrity – or mythological creature. If you see her, you simply have to document the sighting.
Omg, is she actually singing in this clip?
@gammawashere she’s been at it all day #nyc #nycsubway #nyclife #adele #singingcover #comedy #subway #fyp #explore
Every now and again, there comes a video where she seems to have found the volume button on her microphone. Though Adele’s instantly recognisable voice is still the most prominent, there’s a whisper of the lip syncer’s breaking through.
She’ll be selling out stadiums in no time
@millyywap But she has good intentions and the hiiighEest hopes #nycsubway #streetperformer #adele #trainstation #newyorkcity
In this video, which was taken earlier this month, fake Adele had amassed a crowd in the New York subway station. Most people were recording, but I’m assuming it wasn’t because of the stellar vocals.
Even celebs have spotted her
@jansportnyc12 can’t believe I finally saw the subway singer who literally just lip syncs to the artist voices!! this is one of my favorite songs too! #whatavoice #dragiseverywhere #adele
When RuPaul’s Drag Race star Jan Sport spotted the queen, a lot of people questioned what the difference was between doing drag and lip syncing in the subway station.
She’s coming for your gig, Jan!
Adele isn’t the only star in her repertoire
@curly.travel.magic I was at Times Square the other day and this lady had a happy group of people singing her Christian song with her. Now I just saw another video of her perfectly lip syncing to Adele as well. I got punked! I guess she is a good ‘performer’
#timessquare #lipsync #subwayperformer #subwaysinger #performance
She does mix up her tracks every so often, and New Yorkers have spotted her singing Christian music to the masses. The second coming, perhaps?
‘Heard Adele and knew exactly who to ask for’
@rachelannspams815 yes I did stand and watch for 10 minutes #nycsubway #adele #lipsync #subwaysinger #adelecover
See, branding and consistency work!
You can literally see the music app open on her phone
@ipreferphyu
Look, I appreciate the dedication to the bit.
This woman claimed it sounded real…
@talyrooney I was literally starstruck
#adele #lipsyncgirl #nycsubway #fyp
If the entirety of TikTok can tell it’s fake via a recording, I refuse to believe it’s convincing in person. Like, all you hear is Adele.
Have Adele and the New York subway girly been seen together?
@mumizuumi she’s so talented
#adele #easyonme #nycsubway #timessquare #fypシ゚viral
All I’m saying is, have we ever seen them in a room together?
‘My statue of liberty’
@kaylani_4 No bc idk if it’s a bit anymore she’s a legend #subway #subwayAdele #subwaysinger #ny #nyc
New Yorkers are actually star-struck when they come upon her in the subway, and I’m not massively surprised. She doesn’t have a single station she stays at, so her random pop-ups are that much more special.
This video is from MONTHS ago
@vinceofalltrades OMGG I finally found the viral subway lipsync lady! please dont bully her, shes here to make business @AdeleOfficial #subway #lipsynclady #lipsync #lipsyncgirl #nyc #newyork
VinceOfAllTrades
Most of the videos are just New Yorkers randomly coming across her and positively losing their minds. I’m hoping she goes international.
I swear she’s actually singing in this video
@adventuresofvictoria The viral subway singer Set Fire to the Rain tonight in NYC! I’ve seen her all over my FYP and there was a crowd of people hoping she’d sing Adele #nyc #subway #subwaysinger #adele #setfiretotherain #newyork
Again, there seem to be a few notes where her own voice breaks through Adele’s. I’m assuming she can’t sing because of the lip syncing, but imagine if she had a cracking voice.
She adores this one red dress
@plutoandjohn adele’s been a little too silent since she’s been on the scene… #nyc #subway
Though she has been seen belting Adele in a range of outfits, the New York subway queen seems to be addicted to this one red flowery dress. No shade, it’s pretty.
Last one, I promise
@hwkmyc U can clearly see the music app she got playing the song
There are literally hundreds of videos like these on TikTok, and just on the off chance the mysterious singer is reading this, I have a few burning questions:
- How much money have you made from your subway busking?
- Is Adele your fav artist for a reason, or is that the only album you’ve got downloaded?
- Where did you get the red dress from? I’ve seen it so much that I fear I’ve been influenced
- Do you take requests?
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Featured image credit: TikTok
