After 6 years of silence, the legend is back.
On Oct. 15, after almost a six-year absence from the music industry, singer-songwriter Adele released her main single, Easy on Me, for her upcoming album, 30, dropping on Nov. 19. From mere hours after its release, Easy on Me now holds the record on Spotify for the most streams in one day, beating South Korean boy band BTS and their hit single, Butter, with 24 million streams.
Like her previous albums, Adele names her records after an important year in her life. With 30 being the next installment, this album can shape out to be her most personal one yet.
Unlike other artists, Adele takes a long time crafting her records, releasing an album once every four years. Much to the distress of her long-time fans, this long stretch allows her to have more material to talk about from her personal life. She has always been a retrospective artist, shown with all of her hit songs, from her emotional single Hello, to the catchy Set Fire to the Rain. Her material always reflects on her life as a star and her personal relationships. And, it works. With this approach, she has been able to captivate listeners for the past 13 years, becoming a 15-time Grammy winner and critically acclaimed artist. The release of 30 is no different.
As Adele turned 30 in 2019, her life took an unprecedented turn as she filed for divorce from her now ex-husband, Simon Konecki. On top of this, Adele battled mental issues regarding her breakup and its effects on her son, Angelo. With 30, Adele looks to make amends with what has happened in her five-year absence and is hopeful about the new chapter in her life.
As the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, Adele was forced to delay the rollout for the album, giving her more time to refine her sounds. Fans speculate the possibility of the artist venturing into other genres of music. For example, in a recent Vogue interview, Adele stated that she has been drawing inspiration from Hip Hop artists Tyler the Creator and Skepta. This has raised a plethora of questions as these “inspirations” possess polar opposite styles, rhythmically and musically, to her heart-wrenching lyrics. As it is highly unlikely that Adele will rap on 30, but she is likely to explore more soulful beat selection on her tracks, something Tyler is well known for. Her divorce has also given her the perfect catalyst for material on the album: another heartbreak story.
30 will surely put Adele back on top of the music game, a title she’s been holding since 2008. While fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for Adele’s grand return, they will have to wait just a bit longer till November arrives.
But, hey. They waited this long.
