The word is
ALIVE
The title is supposed to reference
the Song 'alive' by Sia (cya) and Adele (a dell)
As I am,
a state of being.
Alive means you are existing
Drop the first,
a verb of similar meaning.
Live means that you are living, similar to existing
Exchange the first,
a debatable fruit.
An olive is a fruit but could be considered a nut or vegetable
Drop one and two,
friend of a root.
The suffix -ive, a common root ending to words.
Drop first, read in reverse,
the type you don't want to be meeting.
You don't want to meet evil people