How Adele's personal life shaped some of her biggest hits
What would a classic tune be without a connection and relatability?
The greatest musicians of all time understand that it’s not just about vocal ability, agility, or witty wordplay. At the end of the day, writing lyrics and conveying messages in a song that people can relate to is just as important.
As evident by her massive catalog of tear-jerkingly heartfelt, compositions, this is one of the many avenues where Adele thrives.
One way to write a hit song just so happens to be taking an introspective look into the lives are your nearest, dearest loved ones and articulating your perception of their unique situation through music.
Alternatively, you could always write about your own personal experiences.
As it pertains to Adele's smash hit single Hello, the latter proved to work wonders. However, if you were assuming that the Grammy winner was referring to an ex love interest from yesteryear, the truth may surprise you.
During an episode of ELLE's Life In Lyrics, Adele stated that her life changed not only careerwise since 21, but also since becoming a mother as well. She went on to say that Hello was actually inspired by parenthood as well as her older self speaking to her younger self.
But hey, If you aren't feeling nostalgic for her critically acclaimed album 25, we could always delve into a more recent hit.
According to several news outlets, Easy On Me addresses Adele's divorce from her long-time husband, Simon Konecki whilst also serving as a letter to her son.
In her own words, the chorus makes her think about how lost she was when she left her marriage.
Moreover, Nylon writer Stephanee Wang describes the song as a mother's letter (and emotional plea) to her son.
"The rest of the song is sung as an emotional plea to her son, as she asks for his understanding and grace. “Go easy on me, baby/ I was still a child/ Didn't get the chance to/ Feel the world around me/ I had no time to choose what I chose to do/ So go easy on me,” she belts on the chorus."
- Stephanee Wang
Perhaps not quite so recently, Adele's 2nd Billboard Hot 100 chart topper Someone like You was inspired by something you'd probably expect: heartbreak.
During his interview with American Songwriter, co writer Dan Wilson explain:
"She told me she wanted to write a song about her heartbreak…that was how she put it. She told me a little bit about the guy who broke up with her, and I think maybe part of my contribution was to help keep the song really simple and direct—very personal."
- Dan Wilson
So, what would a classic song be without relatable lyrics or a message that listeners could at least empathize with? Well, it certainly wouldn't be an Adele song, that's for sure.
She's managed to warm our hearts with not only her voice but her lyrics to boot. There hasn't been much talk about when her next album will be released, but when the day comes, fans can expect more of the same!