Adele Calls Tobias Jesso Jr. “My New Secret Weapon”

Adele's 25 album arrives this Friday. The singer worked with a slew of new collaborators on the record, and The Guardian published a conversation today between Adele and Tobias Jesso Jr., who helped her write 25's "When We Were Young." The star showers her young co-writer in praise: "I absolutely loved him; his vibe, his humor, the way he plays piano—so felt... I’m definitely going to work with him again. He’s my new secret weapon."

During the interview, Jesso dishes on his love for Tracy Chapman and Bonnie Raitt, and expresses an interest in working with Kanye or Drake. "I often find myself writing little ditties I can imagine becoming rap songs," he tells Adele. "Not the actual rapping part, just the chorus. I think a couple of the ideas we had when we worked together would be good for rap songs."

Mostly Jesso is self-deprecating. "Piano is one of those instruments you don’t have to be good at to sound good," he notes. Later he adds, "I often compare my voice to an old car you’re only 50% sure will turn on when you need it to."

Read the full interview here, and revisit Jesso's GEN F profile.