The singer, who turned 38 earlier this year, has traditionally named her albums after the age she was when she began working on them. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008, followed by 21, 25 and 30.
Adele's last album arrived five years ago, but sources claim the Grammy-winning artist has been quietly working on new material at Church Studios in Crouch End, north London.
The renowned recording facility has hosted a number of major artists, including Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Oasis and Mick Jagger. Adele previously recorded parts of her 2015 album, 25, at the studio, which is owned by producer Paul Epworth.
Epworth has collaborated with the singer on several occasions, including their work on Skyfall, the James Bond theme song that earned them an Academy Award.
According to The Sun, Adele recently travelled from her home in Los Angeles to London, where she arranged a private performance at Camden's Roundhouse to gauge reactions to her latest songs. However, the planned show was subsequently postponed.
A source said the event had been intended as an opportunity to gather feedback on the new material.
“She is getting ready for a big comeback and booked the venue as a secret way to get feedback on her new songs,” the source said.
“She later pulled the gig. But can you imagine being a fan who got tickets for a mystery artist — then it turned out to be Adele?”
The source added that there were currently no discussions about rescheduling the performance, while suggesting the singer was pleased with the direction of her new music.
“But new music is definitely on the way and she's excited to roll out a new record next year,” they said.
The latest reports follow claims published in June that Adele had resumed writing and recording, despite previously indicating she wanted to take an extended break after completing her Las Vegas residency in 2024.
She is understood to have spent at least two weeks in London working on songs while keeping her activities largely private.
Away from the studio, the singer has also been the subject of discussion over reports that she has resumed smoking cigarettes.
Actress Hunter Schafer, 27, who appeared alongside Adele in a film due for release next year, spoke about spending time with the singer during production.
“She was a wonderful person to hang out with and smoke cigarettes with on set,” Schafer told Elle magazine.
Adele previously turned to hypnotherapy in an effort to quit smoking around a decade ago.
Although the singer has yet to publicly confirm details of a new album or its potential release date, reports of her recent recording sessions have fuelled anticipation among fans hoping for her return to the music scene.
