British singer-songwriter Adele made her much-anticipated musical return on Friday, releasing her first new record since 2015’s Grammy Award-winning album “25”.
The 33-year-old, known for ballads about break-ups and regrets, teased the new single “Easy on Me” last week with a short video clip.
The song is the first from her upcoming fourth album, “30,” to be released in November, which Adele says she recorded to help her young son explain the divorce.
The music video, which begins with Adele leaving a house with ‘For Sale’ and ‘Sold’ signs, is a showcase for the ballad of emotional power.
It features the singer seeking understanding, which includes the lyrics “Go easy on me, baby / I was still a baby / Didn’t get a chance to feel the world around me”.
She sings while driving, her memories and songs revolve around her, and the video begins in black and white as it breaks down into warm colors.
On Wednesday, Adele told fans she was finally ready to release ’30,’ which she described as “ride or die in the most turbulent period of my life.”
The singer, who split from charity executive Simon Konecki in 2019, has named her albums after milestones in her life.
“I was definitely nowhere near where I was expecting it to start about 3 years ago,” she said in a statement.
“Exactly the opposite. Throw it in the maze.”
Fans and music critics lauded her return, with the song’s video garnering over 18 million views on YouTube in the first 10 hours of its release.
Britain’s Telegraph newspaper called it “a bare-bones ballad that is more than just music. It’s a beautiful single about music.”
The Independent wrote, “Polished but never immaculate, ‘Easy on Me’ is a crisp, plaintive and mature comeback.”
Known for hits such as “Someone Like You” and “Hello”, Adele is one of the most successful pop artists of all time, topping charts worldwide and featuring in the James Bond film theme song “Skyfall”. feature. Has won 15 Grammys as well as an Oscar.
Earlier this month, fans speculated that Adele’s new music was imminent after mysterious “30” signs appeared on buildings around the world.
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