Adele would have "given up" her career for her ex-boyfriend.

The 'Someone Like You' hitmaker - whose former love was the inspiration behind her second album '21' - admitted she will never forgive herself for not making the relationship work, as she would have put aside her musical aspirations for true love.

Asked whether she would trade success for romance, she explained: "I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for not making my relationship with my ex on '21' work, because he's the love of my life.

"I would still be singing in the shower, of course, but yeah - my career, my friendships, my hobbies. I would have given up trying to be the best."

Adele - whose debut album '19' was also inspired by her tumultuous love life - explained she will always be looking for a copy of her ex-boyfriend in future relationships because the couple were so similar that they were "almost like twins".

She added to Out magazine: "He was my soul mate. We had everything - on every level we were totally right. We'd finish each other's sentences, and he could just pick up how I was feeling by the look in my eye, down to a T.

"We loved the same things, and hated the same things, and we were brave when the other was brave and weak when the other one was weak - almost like twins, you know - and I think that's rare when you find the full circle in one person, and I think that's what I'll always be looking for in other men."