Being heartbroken at a young age can either break you completely or give you a chance you upgrade yourself. Adele chose to be the latter.
The English songwriter and singer, Adele, has recently released her fourth album “30” which resonates with her powerful comeback, defying all odds of personal traumas of separation and the harrowing heartbreaks. All the songs are raw and candid; a combination of soul and blues.
Adele is known for her classic, clear, and highly original singing which makes her unique in her own way. In her recent interviews on various social media platforms including Oprah, she reflected on the journey she has embarked on to recreate herself and rise from the relationship trauma she went through. Her physical appearance and the move towards a healthy lifestyle are also aspects of this inner and outer journey.
A unique voice
Unlike other young pop singers, Adele has a uniquely raw, crisp, and rich voice which makes her stand out among the rest. She sings within a mezzo-soprano range which resonates with everyone with clarity of tone and lyrics. This is a beautiful blend of country, popular jazz, and blues. Her vocal range matches with the soulful voice of Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Enya, Rihanna, and others.
Apart from this, her voice very clearly embodies the “vocal fry” category where you use the lowest tone with deep, creaky, breathy sounds with tumbling strains when singing painful and sad songs. The new album “30” is what reflects this vocal fry a lot clearer than her previous songs. And her lyrics, of course, are the most striking part of her composition which are relatable to almost everyone’s situation in one or another way!
The singer is a fighter and a warrior as she has battled two throat surgeries but still maintains powerful and melodious vocals.
The tracks on “30”
The opening track Strangers By Nature sets the gloomy tone for the audience. Its theme reflects what the singer wants to convey throughout the album as it begins with these lyrics:
I’ll be taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart
For all of my lovers in the present and in the dark
Every anniversary, I’ll pay respects and say I’m sorry
For they never stood a chance as if they could
When no one knows what it’s like to be us
Then the second verse tells more about the lessons learned from the complicated relationships and her willingness to grow and amend mistakes:
I’ve never seen the sky this colour before
It’s like I’m noticin’ everythin’ a little bit more
Now that all the dust has settled
I rebut all my rebuttals
No one knows what it’s likе to be us
Another number from the album, Easy On Me, has topped the records with amazingly powerful lyrics and vocals. It is right now the No. 1 on the Apple Music records charts and made this progress three weeks before its actual release.
The singer reflects her journey of becoming a more fragile yet grounded person after life’s heartbreaks. Her songs mirror the past six years of her life’s lessons and the subsequent change of inward and outward personality and outlook which is of course, clearly visible, as she said to Oprah, “I don’t have to expect someone else to give me stability. I can also be stable for myself and be a solid house that doesn’t blow over in a storm.”
Cry Your Heart Out is about a catharsis or purging of the pain through crying and being expressive. While Hold On is much positive and optimistic with the chorus:
(Hold on)
Let time be patient
(You are still strong)
Let pain be gracious
(Love will soon come)
Just hold, hold on
Overall, the album is a blend of pain, purgation, growth, and hope for the future. The singer has something for everyone in the album.
