The musical comet, formally known as Adele, finally returned after six years. On Nov. 19, the “Hello” singer released her fourth studio LP, “30.”
According to Adele, the album has been in the works for the past three years and the singer referred to it as her most personal album yet.
On Oct. 13, Adele shared a vulnerable post with fans on social media. In the post, the singer described how she evolved with the album.
“I’ve learned a lot of blistering home truths about myself along the way,” Adele wrote. “I’ve shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones.”
Adele ended the post saying that since beginning the album three years ago, she has rebuilt her home and heart, and the album narrates her progression and experiences.
After releasing “30,” Adele requested the album be listened to in order. To ensure that the album would be streamed in the order she intended, Spotify removed the shuffle button as the default option when playing albums.
“We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason,” the singer said in response to the button being removed. “Our art tells a story and our stories should be listened to as we intended.”
The 12-track album begins with “Strangers By Nature,” a collaboration with film composer Ludwig Göransson. The song takes on a dark, dramatic tone as Adele mourns her past relationship and heartbreak.
Longtime fan, Char’neil Williams, said a journey through heartbreak is evident in the songs featured on the album.
“I think the album shows a progression of someone dealing with heartbreak and loss,” Williams said. “It’s clear that she had to give herself a pep talk in order to continue on with her life. Pulling strength from her son and support from other outward messages she received.”
The third song on the album, “My Little Love,” includes a private conversation between Adele and her son Angelo as they adjusted to the divorce. Many fans expressed a connection to this song through social media posts.
Yennifer Castillo shared a tweet saying the song had her in tears.
“‘My Little Love’ by Adele had me boo-hoo crying with snot down my nose this morning,” Castillo said. “I was not OK.”
Adele currently sits at No.1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, 200, Global 200 and Artist 100 charts. She has held one of these positions for 13 weeks and shows no signs of giving it up anytime soon.