By Jasmine Jones.
The Return of Adele: 30 Review.
After a six-year hiatus from music and the public eye, Adele is finally back with her new, highly anticipated album 30, and it certainly delivered. Arguably AdeleÔÇÖs most powerful album to date, 30 is an ambitious and ferocious creation centred around ÔÇ£divorce, babe, divorceÔÇØ and the roller-coaster of emotions that came with ending her 8-year relationship to Simon Konecki. That being said, there is a sense of healing and freedom projected as the album progresses, something we are not used to hearing in previous albums such as 21 and 25 that focus on romantic rejections and betrayal. From one song to the next, 30 revels in the triumph of getting through the toughest periods of life and inspires listeners to ÔÇÿjust hold onÔÇÖ.
The album consists of a mix of radio-friendly tunes, such as the smash hit ÔÇÿEasy On MeÔÇÖ, and a few more contemporary style songs that truly showcase AdeleÔÇÖs vocal range and real emotional trauma at the time of production.
30 begins with the dreamy and subtle ÔÇÿStrangers By NatureÔÇÖ, perfectly setting the tone for the more powerful ballads further down the track list. The other-worldly sounds mixed with the deeply moving lyrics instantly connects the listener to AdeleÔÇÖs complex journey and how it has now brought her peace and freedom. At the end of the song Adele says ÔÇ£alright then IÔÇÖm readyÔÇØ, suggesting that she is ready to move on and for the world to hear her story in this melodious way.
My personal favourite track has to be ÔÇÿI Drink WineÔÇÖ which details the struggles of ending her relationship and the coping mechanisms Adele used during this time. Originally a 15-minute power ballad, ÔÇÿI Drink WineÔÇÖ quickly became a fan favourite after itÔÇÖs release due to its 1970s undertones and beautiful instrumentals; ÔÇ£soaking it all up for fun but now I only soak up wineÔÇØ. The meaning behind this gracious song becomes even more powerful when Adele announced that she became sober after her divorce from Simon Konecki in September 2019, highlighting her personal growth through turbulent times and mirrored through the journey of the album.
Most breath-taking, and a theme throughout the album, are the confessional verses in which we hear Adele talking about the heartache and vulnerability that she is struggling with through her divorce and navigating motherhood alone. This is especially a tear-jerker in the song ÔÇÿMy Little LoveÔÇÖ in which we hear clips of Adele talking with her son Angelo, explaining her feelings and confusion post-divorce; ÔÇ£you know mummy doesnÔÇÖt like anyone else like I like you, right?ÔÇØ. What I would do to listen to that song for the first time again.
Adele explains that this album is not only an expression of her journey through divorce, but a way of communicating these emotions to her son and to let him know when heÔÇÖs older how much both his parents loved him.In her interview with Oprah titled ÔÇÿAdele: One Night OnlyÔÇÖ she added ÔÇ£I just wanted him to hear me talking madly deeply about who I am and how I feel, like you know, and I donÔÇÖt know if IÔÇÖd ever be able to have that conversation with him in real life.ÔÇØ This candid chat with global superstar Oprah delved into many other topics besides from the album release, such as the reconciliation with AdeleÔÇÖs father before his death and the headlines focusing on her recent weight loss. She added ÔÇ£my body has been objectified my entire career. I’m either too big or too small; I’m either hot or I’m notÔÇØ, going on to ask why as a singer she canÔÇÖt be judged purely on her talent.
And yet despite all these incredible marketing campaigns, the most successful piece was yet to come. Shrouded in secrecy, ÔÇÿAn Audience with AdeleÔÇÖ was broadcast to everyoneÔÇÖs surprise on ITV on the 21st November and can only be described as magnificent and quintessentially British. The all-star audience, including Emma Thompson and Stormzy, made impactful and hilarious appearances that were so unexpected and almost bizarre, but a true testament to AdeleÔÇÖs universal impact and the love from her home crowd shone through.
The most heart-warming moment of the show was by far when AdeleÔÇÖs school teacher Ms McDonald surprised the international star onstage, after Adele had shared with the audience how inspirational her teacher was to her career. This moving moment led to a brief interlude from the utterly glorious vocals while the star went to ÔÇ£fix her faceÔÇØ, asking Alan Carr to cover which led to a spontaneous karaoke style rendition of ÔÇÿMake You Feel My LoveÔÇÖ, arguably the highlight of the show for many.
More so than any of her previous albums, 30 tells a story from beginning to end. It has pushed boundaries, let us into the deepest and darkest times of her life, and is utterly beautiful. There is no doubt as to why she is the best-selling artist of this generation.
30 is available to stream now on Spotify.
