Adele's hit song Chasing Pavements is causing controversy in America amid claims that it's a gay anthem. 

But the 20-year-old says it's nothing to do with chasing gay men, and that the claim, which surfaced on the internet, almost wrecked her chances of stardom across the Pond.

'Some weirdo on the Net wrote that Chasing Pavements was about being gay, which isn't true at all,' Adele revealed at the Nationwide Mercury awards last night.

Surprise controversy: Adele, performing at the Mercury Prize awards last night, says her song Chasing Pavements has been banned on some US radio stations

'Because of that some radio stations in the States wouldn't play it. The guy wrote it on Urban Dictionary, which I've used for years and 'chasing pavements' was never on there before.'

The song is about an ex-boyfriend she fell out with.

'He's a boy who went bad, but he's good now... we've made up,' she added.

At the ceremony, in Grosvenor House, Adele looked every inch a Sixties star with her babydoll dress and backcombed hair.

Soul blinger: Adele checking on her £20,000 earrings at the awards

She teamed her outfit with diamond earrings worth £20,000.

And while most girls would be pleased to show off such jewellery, Adele kept touching her ears to check they were still there.

'I'm worried I'm going to get drunk and lose my earrings,' she said.

'They're made of diamonds and are clip-ons. They cost £20,000 and they're not mine.'

The south London soul songstress usually sports less pricey bling.

'I'm used to Argos's Elizabeth Duke range myself,' she has admitted.

Known for her acid tongue, it takes a brave man to get on Adele's wrong side.

But the American troublemaker who posted the Net message may be safe for a while.

She said: 'I don't like flying. I hate it, and I don't want to start taking Valium, so I'm not going to get over there much.'