While Adele was clearly overjoyed to win album of the year for 25 at the Grammys -- and four other trophies -- there was one issue: "My album of the year is Lemonade."

Adele did a rare press room interview backstage on Sunday, echoing her onstage comments about Beyoncé's epic visual album deserving the night's big win.

"I spoke to her before just to let her know how honored and privileged I felt to be nominated alongside her, and we spoke afterward as well and she was very gracious and humble, as always, as we've come to expect," Adele told reporters. "And the reason I felt the need to say something is because my album of the year is Lemonade. She is my icon of my whole life."

She felt compelled to give Beyoncé her due because of how blown away she was by Lemonade -- and by the fact that Bey has never won the top prize. "I felt like it was her time to win," she said. "What the f--- does she have to do to win album of the year? That's how I feel."

Adele has made no secret of her membership to the Beyhive. It all started with Destiny's Child's breakthrough single "No, No, No" back in 1998, when Adele was just 11, and continues to this day. "The way that I felt when I first heard 'No No No' is exactly the same as how I felt when I heard Lemonade last year."

And it's far more than just music for the British singer/songwriter. "There's friendships I have that are completely tied to us being complete Beyonce stans. I don't take any f---ing sh-- when it comes to anyone not liking Beyonce. You can't be in my life. You simply can't."