I appreciate the fact that Adele gave us notice for new sad divorce music, so I think all of us Adele fans went back to 21 and 25 to prepare ourselves. Like, we can’t be thrown into the boiling water of heartbreak, we have to be eased into the water gradually. The throughline of Adele’s music isn’t just about heartbreak, it’s about nostalgia, a yearning nostalgia for being young, free and open to life-altering love. She’s in her 30s now, one divorce behind her, older and wiser and trying to take ownership of her sh-t, but the nostalgia for who she was and the decisions she made “back then” still remain.
Adele prepared us for “Easy on Me,” her first single off her album 30. She told Vogue that this album isn’t full of “Hello” type songs, but you can definitely feel the echo of “Hello” in “Easy,” not just lyrically, but in the video. Like the “Hello” video, “Easy” was directed by Xavier Dolan, whose wistfulness suits Adele very well. Here’s the video for “Easy on Me.”
She’s right, it’s not an anthemic banger like “Hello” or “Rolling in the Deep” (her first singles from her previous albums). She seems to have simplified her production and made a conscious choice to let her lyrics and voice speak for themselves. I enjoyed all of this – the song, the lyrics, the video. She’s growing as a visual artist too, she’s maturing all around.
This week, Adele posted this on Instagram – I guess this is the album cover for 30. The second slide is a statement about what this album means to her and what she was going through as she made it.
The photographer really loves her profile, lots of new pics from that angle
Watched the video last night, love it. It definitely has a “Hello” feel to it and I enjoyed that. The song itself is great too, it may not have the power vocals of Rolling in the Deep etc, but its still really good. I’m so excited for the album.
It is a beautiful song that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to… specifically those who walked away from long term serious relationships after being the one who put in all the effort into the relationship for only peanuts in return. I did that twice once with my first marriage and once after when I walked away from a 5 year relationship post divorce.
Yep, I think this is a song everyone can listen to and think ‘wow, I really feel this’. I know that’s how I felt last night. May or may not have cried…..lol
From the ages of 16 to 26, i was consumed by my first love and what also devolved into an extremely toxic and abusive relationship that completely tore down any understanding I had of myself as a person. I’m 28 now and only just starting to truly heal from that decade of pain and growth. I did not expect this single to hit me in the soul as hard as it did but i’m truly shaken to my core. Thank you Adele — I too was still a child and needed things to have gone “easy.”
23 – 30 over here. Hugs to you @tifzlan.
Such a great song. I can’t wait for the album
Her vocals are gorgeous. She’s gorgeous. It’s all very Adele.
Beautiful song and relatable as hell, as is her statement about the album. Sad girl fall is in full affect.
Some idiot got blasted on Twitter because she asked if this song was about abortion.
It was obvious she hadn’t read Adele’s Vogue interviews and she got her ass lit up. She said she finally read it but seemed butt hurt that she got called out.
Was it really necessary that she got ‘blasted?’ She was wrong but she didn’t know. Not everyone reads Vogue or even sees the highlights posted elsewhere. I think sometimes Twitter reactions can be so harsh. A person can’t make a mistake or ask a question (or post a varying opinion) if the seemingly group think has one perspective.
This person has a blue check and stays on top of current events and pop culture so I was surprised she hadn’t at least read about Adele’s album. Sometimes it’s best to think before you post something and not get all in your feelings when people correct you. She literally said “is this song about abortion?” She knew good and damn well the can of worms she was opening. She kept doubling down when people tried to tell her that the album was about her divorce.
Random thoughts:
1) I love the song.
2) I love her hair but I hate that it’s constantly in her face.
3) This was filmed in New Hampshire? Interesting choice.
4) The contrast between a beat-up, run-down house and her multi-thousand-dollar outfit is jarring. And weird. Like you have thousand dollar boots but you can’t get a vacuum?
5) The NAILS. I HATE THEM. They do not deserve that much screen time.
6) I got divorced 4 years ago and I wish this album had been around then.
I don’t mind her hair in her face, but I don’t like the nails either! They’re just a bit too long and they distract me. I keep thinking ‘how can you get anything done with claws like that???”
I love the song too, though. It’s simple, for lack of a better word, but still deep and moving.
for me the contrast between her natural accent and her singing voice was surprising. Does anyone know why British people sing with American accents? i love her natural accent.
It was filmed in Quebec
Hate the nails. This shape and length – on anyone. Can’t wait until this trend is over.
Adele has great eyebrows. Seriously. I envy a woman who has them as mine have been horrible since my teen years to the point I just gave up trying and I think I am gonna look like Whoopi in about a decade.
That is why I never got behind contour and plucking away your eyebrows. Why?
Took me back to my divorce. Got married when I was 23 and put more work into our marriage than he was ever willing to. I gave all I could for five years of marriage. I walked away with my daughter, my maiden name and peace in my heart.
She sounds amazing, as always, and the song is lovely, but I found it boring (and I’m a sucker for ballads!) But it seems not this one. Still looking forward to the rest of the album
It was fine but didn’t really blow me away at all. Hopefully the rest of the album really brings it.
She is singing even better than before
She has a gorgeous voice and is one of the most talented singers of her generation. I respect her talent a lot, but I find her music *so* boring. This sounds like all her other music to me.
Love the song, love the vid… Not into the makeup. Even before it flipped from b&w to color I was like, damn that’s an intense contour. And then when it went full color I was all 😳
She’s a beautiful woman. I wish the MUA hadn’t been quite so heavy handed.
I love the makeup, especially the eye makeup. She’s obviously a stunningly beautiful woman and I felt like the makeup just emphasized that.
I love this. The video feels like another chapter after Hello. The lyrics don’t necessarily hit me in relatability personally but I think her voice and music are gorgeous. We listened on the way to school and my 5 year old (6 tomorrow!) asked for it on repeat. She is a big fan of Adele and has been for like 2 years. I’m so excited for new music from her!
Beautiful! Loving it, all of it!
So relatable!
❤️
I like it. The song doesn’t really sound like a lead single to me though. It’s giving me Turning Tables vibes.
I steeled myself and she still got me.
It should do well. She sticks to a formula, and a good number of people like formula.
I am slightly underwhelmed by the single, but still so excited for her album. It’s usually the obscure songs of hers that I like the most… not the hits on the radio.
I wish I liked it, but I was bored. I can’t remember a note after listening twice. And I love her “anthemic” bangers like “Hello” and “Rolling in the Deep.”
Sadly, I’m dissapointed and underwhelmed by her new music. Her songs all sound the same.
Wonderful woman, but too styled. Love her when she’s natural and real.
It’s quite a boring song really. Rather bland and blah. I quite like some of Adele’s music but this leaves me underwhelmed. Also cannot stand the false eyelashes. Makes her look like a drag queen. Why can’t people just have their own eyelashes?
I’m underwhelmed. It’s okay, but nothing new from her. 21 was a fantastic album, but 25 was disappointing. I hope the rest of 30 is better.