Adele is this month’s cover story for Vanity Fair, and during her interview she spoke in more depth about her songwriting process, particularly on her second album 21, which cam out in 2011. Following the release of her massive album 25 a year ago, Adele discussed how she used to be a “massive drinker,” but that her intake has lessened following her becoming a mother.

“Having a hangover with a child is torture,” she said, “I used to love to be drunk, but as I got more famous I would wake up the next morning and think, ‘What the fuck did I say and who the fuck did I say it to?’ I never had blackouts, but when you’re drunk and you go to a party, you’ll talk to anyone.”

Adele continued to describe how this would the  influence the writing of her breakthrough album “I can see from an outsider’s perspective that I will never write songs as good as the ones that are on 21, but I’m not as indulgent as I was then, and I don’t have time to fall apart like I did then. I was completely off my face writing that album, and a drunk tongue is an honest one. I would drink two bottles of wine, and I would chain-smoke. Then I’d write the lyrics down and the next morning think, ‘Fuck, that’s quite good’. Then I’d find the melody.”

18 months after the release of 21, Adele gave birth to her son Angelo, and she continued to elaborate on the impact having a child “Since I’ve had my baby, I’m not as carefree as I used to be. I’m scared of a lot of things now because I don’t want to die; I want to be around for my kid. I’m very cautious, whereas I was never cautious before.” Adele also discussed experiencing postnatal depression after her son was born, and that she doesn’t believe that she would have a second child in the future. She was adamant that she had never taken antidepressants for the problem, but also admitted to not having talked to anyone about it.

When discussing potential touring dates for the future, Adele herself has admitted that she would be”fine” if she never played to a live audience again, saying “I’m on tour simply to see everyone who’s been so supportive. I don’t care about money. I’m British, and we don’t have that… thing of having to earn more money all the time.”

Adele is currently on the North American leg of a world tour that began in February this year,- and included headlining this year’s Glastonbury festival-  with the last of the 107 dates being in Phoenix, Arizona on November 21.