Listeners can feel the emotion coming from Adele in her songs and that’s because she puts everything into every song.

In a new interview with The New York Times, the singer, 27, explained that she has to cry while recording her songs since it proves that she is really confident about the track.

“In order for me to feel confident with one of my songs it has to really move ,” Adele told the Times. “That’s how I know that I’ve written a good song for myself — it’s when I start crying. It’s when I just break out in [expletive] tears in the vocal booth or in the studio, and I’ll need a moment to myself.”

Adele’s emotions were all over 21, which was full of breakup songs. Despite that, the album sold 30 million copies around the world, including 11 million in the U.S. alone. “Hello,” the first single from the upcoming 25, is just as passionate a song as the tracks on 21 and had the best sales week for a single since 1997.

The success of “Hello,” which includes 378.7 million views on YouTube, proved to Adele that her fans were still there. Since it’s been four years since 21 came out, she had reason to worry about her comeback.

“I was like, ‘Oh, no, I’ve missed my window,’” she said. “‘Oh, no, it’s too late. The comeback’s gone. No one cares.’”

Writing for 25 started in 2013, which might explain the album’s title. She told the Times that it was hard for her to write a follow-up to 21, but decided that she had to write music.

“I have to write more music for myself, and there’s nothing else I want to do,” she said.

Adele also explained why we don’t see her in commercials and why she doesn’t use social media. She insists that she wants to be only known for her music.

“Commercials, being the face of brands, nail varnishes, shoes, bags, fashion lines, beauty ranges, hair products, being in movies, being the face of a car, designing watches, food ranges, buildings, airlines, book deals,” she said. “I’ve been offered everything. And I don’t want to water myself down. I want to do one thing. I want to make something. I don’t want to be the face of anything.”

25 comes out on Nov. 20.