Adele doesn't know where Montana is but accepts wedding invitation anyway
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Ryan Salonen, a member of the Great Falls High School Class of 2008, and his fiance, Vince Rossi, 25, can’t remember what singer and songwriter Adele smells like.
“That’s what a lot of people asked us. Apparently she smells great, like roses, but we don’t remember,” Rossi said.
Everything else about the men’s up-close and personal encounter with the superstar at one of her concerts this month at Staples Center in Los Angeles is preserved on video, thanks to stunned and generous concertgoers.
Adele apologizes for being sick, canceling concert
Adele spotted Rossi and Salonen, who had tickets in the 16th row, dancing during her performance of Rumor Has It, and called them to the stage.
“I’ve spotted two people I would like to meet,” Adele told the audience. “There is a guy on the end with a beanie and long hair. He’s been dancing like no one was watching, but I was.”
Rossi grabbed Salonen’s hand and they headed to the stage.
When Adele asked the men where they were from, Rossi said Chicago, but when Salonen told her he was from Montana, the British singer admitted she was stumped.
“Where is it?” she asked.
“Do you know where Washington is? It is right next door,” Salonen said.
“OK, I’m going to go,” Adele said.
“We’re getting married there next September,” Salonen said.
“Oh, I’m free,” the singer said.
“Do you want to come?” Rossi asked.
“I would love to come,” Adele responded.
Other concertgoers shared their videos of the couple onstage, which Rossi compiled and posted on YouTube.
The couple, who are both entertainers, are now networking through their industry contacts to try to get a wedding invitation to Adele.
The pair say it would be fantastic if Adele is at their ceremony, but they would also like to send her a thank-you note for the great experience.
Salonen is the bigger Adele fan — Rossi is more of a Broadway guy.
“Ryan is obsessed with her,” Rossi said. “I was telling people I can’t wait to watch Ryan watch Adele, then this happened,”
Great Falls residents may remember Salonen from his early stage appearances in Great Falls High productions such as Romeo and Juliet and Seussical.
He’s been in Los Angeles about five years and his credits includes an appearance on the television show Glee as well as Dragula, The Bronx Bull, Je T’aime, Au Revoir and Flat.
“It’s a crazy roller coaster,” Salonen said of the entertainment industry. “There are times when you’re going on lots of auditions and getting roles and then other times when it is just nothing. We both have good agents though.”
Salonen said he’s got a role in “something that hasn’t been released yet” and has been going on a lot of auditions.
Rossi is performing with his band, Winslet, saving money to record an album.
Adele’s Staples Center concert was the second for the couple. In February they went to her pop-up performance in a smaller venue.
“Hang on, you got tickets for that and for tonight; I can’t even get tickets for my mother,” Adele said.
The couple credit putting good energy out into the universe for their good fortune.
“Vince is the one with the good juju,” Salonen said.
Last year Rossi was brought onto the stage at The Hollywood Bowl by Idina Menzel, the Broadway star who sang Let it Go in the Disney movie Frozen.
He sang Take Me or Leave Me, from Rent on the stage with the star.
So what if that good energy and juju brings Adele to their Montana wedding?
“Oh man, I will have to play it cool,” Ryan said.
“We will already have the closest people in our lives there and then Adele, too?” Rossi said. “The whole point of pop music is to connect with people and have them feel like the know you. I think she would have fun.”
Follow Jo Dee Black on Twitter: @GFTrib_JBlack