Adele’s recent Vogue cover boasts ‘a new look, a new love, a new sound.’ Undoubtedly, this is a new chapter in the singer’s life, and the subject matter of her upcoming album is ‘divorce babe, divorce.’ This demonstrated to the listener that Adele is back with something rousing and original up her sleeve.

Rousing is certainly the best way to describe her latest single, ‘Easy on Me’. The much-anticipated return of Adele has already culminated in a record-breaking single, which has already become the most streamed song in one single day.

Adele is back with something rousing and original up her sleeve

It is a raw, realistic, and poignant ballad that reflects Adele’s maturity as both a songwriter, but also as a woman speaking from the heart, and from experience. She has bravely presented a subject matter of divorce, that is perhaps still somewhat taboo in today’s society. It’s easy to say that Adele churns out the same clichéd subjects for her music, whether this be heartbreak or sentimental love songs. However, this song certainly presents a courageous take on a new side of a relationship that is seldom explored in mainstream pop music.

Adele’s innate ability to induce goosebumps in the listener is evident as soon as she opens with the line ‘There ain’t no gold, in this river…’ there is something comforting about her familiar warble, like meeting an old friend that you haven’t seen for years.

there is something comforting about her familiar warble, like meeting an old friend that you haven’t seen for years

Adele’s sophisticated lyrics are best demonstrated in the line ‘I changed who I was to put you both first, but now I give up.’ This line is certainly the most heart-wrenching and thought-provoking in the song, similarly juxtaposed by ‘There ain’t no room for things to change/When we are both so deeply stuck in our ways.’

The melody itself is a familiar piano ballad, which in my view is the perfect backdrop to accommodate Adele’s soaring vocals and honest lyrics. Perhaps the music itself is quintessentially Adele and somewhat predictable. However, this is what makes it so popular. Adele proves once again that her stripped down piano ballads never fail to touch the listener. Her latest single is a triumph: sentimental, bold but also a strong and sophisticated lyrical endeavour.

Rating: 7/10

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