Adele FINALLY releases new single Easy On Me and sings of ‘changing who I was to put you first’

1.9k

View
comments

Adele left her fans in tears as she finally released her first new track in five years – Easy On Me – which reflects on the pain she felt amid her divorce from husband Simon Konecki.

The highly-anticipated single was teased last week, along with the release of her upcoming album 30; and fans sat patiently on YouTube at midnight on Friday to hear the track for the first time.

Along with the music video – which sees the star, 33, pack up her house and drive away, as pages of sheet music flutter out of the windows onto the road – the single went down a storm with fans who took to Twitter to claim it was giving them ‘goosebumps’ and making them ‘sob’ – with one going as far to claim it made them want to get a divorce themselves. 

Adele revealed this week that Easy On Me, as well as 30, will be about the ‘inner turmoil’ she felt as she divorced ex-husband Simon.

The lyrics include the lines, ‘We’re both so deeply stuck in our ways, you can’t deny how hard I’ve tried. I changed who I was to put you both first,’ as well as, ‘Go easy on me. I was still a child, didn’t get the chance to feel the world around me, had no time to choose, what I chose to do, so go easy on me…’

She chants: ‘I had good intentions and high hopes but I know it now probably doesn’t even show.’

The video transfers from a black and white filter to colour halfway through, and starts with the singer on the phone, telling someone she’s on her way and that she might lose signal.    

Fans voiced their approval on social media, with one simply penning: ‘Adele’s new song = goosebumps! Never in doubt of that queen!’

Another agreed: ‘Goosebumps listening to that new Adele drop. What a beautiful song man!’

A third chimed in: ‘Literally goosebumps all over, Adele is just incredible! Literally goosebumps all over my body!!’

Another joked, ‘Currently crying and throwing up at this new Adele!’ as someone else agreed: ‘Adele really got us single ass people crying over a breakup that never happened!’

Others penned, ‘One minute into the new Adele song and I started sobbing,’ and: ‘If the rest of Adele’s album is like “Easy on me”, I will most definitely be sobbing the entire time!’ 

Another impassioned fan wrote: ‘I love the fact that Adele chose a side profile for her cover art because it makes it all so much more beautifully vulnerable… this will be a devastating but tender and honest album, and I’m already sobbing with sadness and joy all at once!’ 

Fans were quick to joke that while the single may have been called Easy On Me, Adele hadn’t taken it with the easy with the vocals and lyrics, which left them blown away. 

Other listeners quipped that they were pretending to be divorced in order to relate to the break up inspired song while some discussed having very strong physical reactions to the track, joking they were ‘shaking, crying and throwing up’.

Another notable meme came in the form of fans joking that the video was a continuation of her video for 2015’s Hello – in which the singer also belted out a ballad while roaming around an empty house.  

 Beside Adele’s hardcore fans, critics have also responded positively to the new single.

‘It’s not a heartbreak anthem as much as a tentatively hopeful ballad from a woman emerging from an emotionally marooned period,’ NPR’s Latesha Harris said of the song. 

While Forbes said the song could be summed up as ‘spectacular,’ Rolling Stone said that the singer’s comeback song has ‘reduced the world to tears’ . 

And the BBC described the song as ‘a big woolly blanket wrapped around the loneliness and pain of anyone who’s been through a core-shaking break-up.’  

Shortly after dropping the single, Adele appeared on various radio shows to plug her new album.  

The award-winning singer revealed she bares her soul on her new record, as it reflects the ‘inner turmoil’ she felt following the breakdown of her marriage, and forced to ‘unlock’ the door to her mental health.  

Appearing on BBC Radio 2 on Friday morning, Adele confessed she ‘lost sight’ of making music while going through her divorce, but it helped her to come to terms with how she was feeling.  

Speaking honestly about the recording process, Adele told host Zoe Ball: ‘It was bloody hard work to make. I was singing things I didn’t even realise I was feeling or thinking, but I’m really proud of it.’  

She continued: ‘I can’t unlock a key to the door with my mental health and take it with me, I’ve got to leave it in the door for everyone else… I’m in a strong place to put that vulnerability out… I’m really proud of it.’  

Having previously described her divorce as the ‘most turbulent period of her life’, Adele confessed: ‘I feel like I lost sight and lost the appreciation of what a gift it is to make music. 

‘I got a bit frightened of it for a while, but it really took care of me. I don’t know what my outlet would have been had I not had it… It was bloody hard work to make emotionally.’ 

As well as Radio 2, Adele zoomed in for the Hits Radio Breakfast show as she spoke with Fleur East about how son Angelo feels about having a famous mum 

The singer told Fleur that the album is about her son, she said: ‘The whole album is sort of dedicated to my son more than anything, but yeah it’s about my relationship with his dad and with him, but also you know the relationship I have with myself and stuff like that.

She continued: ‘It’s like you could be in you know, discussion or disagreement or a full-blown row if you want, not that me and his dad ever used to do that.

‘If you’re the one that’s sort of initiating the discussion, it’d sort of be like, “well hang on a minute, go easy on me, you know, it’s not my fault.” So it’s just sort of really about that in the way that, you know, the decision that I made really, so yeah.’

The singer also shared how Angelo – who turns nine this weekend – feels about her celebrity-status. She said: ‘He’s into like gamers, like he likes Flamingo and all them lot, like I mean yeah he ain’t bothered by me at all.

‘He does not care at all. He is like “you’re so busy all the time now, like blah-blah”. But no he doesn’t care and he’s always comparing. The other day he was telling me how many YouTube followers I have is nowhere near as many as the big gamers. I was like, “okay cheers kid, thanks for that.” Again no he’s not really aware of it yet.’

She continued: ‘He’s coming to a couple of, sort of work things that I have coming up and we’ll see, but I’m sure he’ll just be like, “well I think Flamingo will have done it like this or like that.” Like, yeah but he’s great, he’s a lot of fun, he’s a very lovely, lovely little boy.’

Elsewhere in the interview, Adele revealed her touring plans, saying ‘I’d love to do a big proper tour again. I wouldn’t do it quite as long as I did it last time, it was something like 130 odd shows in less than 18 months but, I would love to do that. 

‘But all the Covid rules are so different everywhere, and sort of like the rates of infection, the rates of vaccine whatever, it’s just, it makes me nervous trying to plan a world tour globally when it feels like no-one’s really on the same page. And the last thing I would ever want to do is cancel any shows again.’  

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Adele confirmed the new album’s release date will be November 19, adding a lengthy note in which she explained that she finally felt ready to release her music.

She wrote: ‘I was certainly nowhere to near where I’d hoped to be when I first started it nearly 3 years ago.

‘Quite the opposite actually. I rely on routine and consistency to feel safe, I always have. And yet there I was knowingly – willingly even, throwing myself into a maze of absolute mess and inner turmoil!

‘I’ve learned a lot of blistering home truths about myself along the way. I’ve shed many layers but also wrapped myself in new ones.

‘Discovered genuinely useful and wholesome materials to lead with, and I felt like I’ve finally found my feeling again. I’d go as far to say that I’ve never felt this peaceful in my life.’ 

Adele told how she sought support from the album writing process, which left her ‘sobbing relentlessly’.

She wrote: ‘And so, I’m ready to finally put this album out. It was my ride or die throughout the most turbulent period of my life. When I was writing it, it was my friend who came over with a bottle of wine and a takeaway to cheer me up.

‘My wise friend who always gives the best advice. Not to forget the one who’s wild and says “It’s your Saturn babes f**k it, you only live once”.

‘The friend who’d stay up all night and just hold my while I’d sob relentlessly not knowing why. The get up and go friend who would pick me up and take me out somewhere I said I didn’t want to go but just wanted to get me out the house for some vitamin D. 

‘That friend who snuck in and left a magazine with a face mask and some bath salts to make me feel loved while inadvertently reminding me not only what month it actually was but that I should probably exercise some self care.

‘And then that friend who no matter what, checked in on me even thought I’d stopped checking in with them because I’d become so consumed by my own grief.

‘I’ve painstakingly rebuilt my house and my heart since then and this album narrates it. Home is where the heart is x’.

Adele and charity CEO Simon, 47, announced they were going their separate ways in April 2019, with Adele filing court documents five months later. 

The couple – who dated for seven years and were married for two – co-parent their son Angelo, eight.

Their divorce was finalised in March this year, and Simon is believed to live in one of the three houses on Adele’s Beverly Hills compound so that he can be close to Angelo.

News of the album release date comes after Adele shared a first look at the single cover for Easy On Me on Tuesday.

The Someone Like You songstress looked stunning in the black and white teaser shot that was shared to her Instagram with the caption: ‘Easy On Me – October 15 – Midnight UK.’

Adele sent fans into meltdown when she played a clip of the song during her very first Instagram live stream on Saturday.

The star, who admitted she would get into trouble by her management, pressed play on the track in which she likened her emotions to a river. 

The vocal powerhouse also opened up about her mental health during the candid chat, revealing she takes it on a ‘day-by-day’ basis but feels it is ‘very good’ currently.

‘My mental health is very good at the moment. I take it day-by-day and I address whatever comes my way,’ she admitted.

‘It definitely helps me feel better if I take my time. Writing my music… yeah it’s been really therapeutic for sure.

‘I think I lost the appreciation for that. I got things out that I didn’t want to say out loud and talk about,’ the Hello hitmaker added.

‘What’s my next album going to be based on? Divorce, babe, divorce,’ the Tottenham-raised beauty quipped.

Adele also wasn’t shy of dipping her toes into the Free Britney movement, telling viewers that she had met the ‘lovely’ star a few times and is glad she’s happy.

Following her Instagram Live, Adele admitted she deeply regrets rejecting a collaboration with Peppa Pig, insisting she feels ‘terrible’ for her actions.

The Someone Like You hitmaker had  answered a firm ‘No!’ in response to a fan questioning if she’d do a collab with Peppa. 

The singer admitted feeling guilty after being confronted with a voice note by the cartoon swine during an interview on Capital Breakfast on Friday, with Adele remarking she ‘felt terrible the second I said it!’

Meanwhile, during the fun and candid chat, the star also told how she carries PG Tips teabags in her handbag as she struggles to get a decent cup in Los Angeles. 

Despite Adele having just dropped her single, Capital Breakfast hosts Roman Kemp, Sian Welby and Sonny Jay took the opportunity to focus on more pressing matters – her rejection of the lovable swine.  

T he radio hosts played a voice note from the Peppa Pig actor, which said: ‘Hello Adele *snort*, that made me really really sad when you said you wouldn’t collaborate with me! Why not! Don’t you like me?’

And after clarifying that it was indeed the real Peppa Pig actor, Adele responded: ‘Firstly of all babes, Peppa that aint’ the one of you I know. That’s not the same voice that I grew up with with my son. 

‘Oh my gosh, but Peppa I spent three years watching you [laughs]. I deeply regret it, anytime you want to go jumping in muddy puddles and singing in muddy puddles, I’m with you babes. I felt terrible the second I said it!’

Roman responded: ‘Out of all the things, did I take it too far with Peppa Pig’, with Adele adding: ‘I know, I did, I had no idea what I was doing!’

Meanwhile, the superstar admitted that the presenters were making her ‘homesick’ before revealing she’s heading back to the UK very soon.      

She explained; ‘I’m coming back soon actually, I’m coming really really soon. I just had to wait for my NIE or something to get back here…’

Roman said in response: ‘Oh that’s too much complication at the moment’, with Adele remarking: ‘Yeah I got locked out from home, but I was there a lot last year and it was lovely.’

When asked if she’ll get a ‘decent’ cup of tea upon her return, Adele said: ‘Oh 100%’ before admitting to going to extreme lengths to ensure she has a taste of home, revealing she struggles to get a decent cup in LA as the ‘dairy is different’.

She said: ‘You can’t no, because the dairy is different. You know the cows. I’ve got PG tips all the time, I carry them in my handbag!  

Meanwhile, the ’30’ title for Adele’s album falls in line with her preferred way of naming her records, with all three of her studio albums named after her age.

Her debut album 19 was released in 2008, followed by 21 in 2011 and 25 in 2015.

As Adele has followed the previous pattern, the 30 album has plenty of inspiration, having been the age she separated from ex-husband Simon.

The Brit Award winner recently broke her silence on her divorce, recalling the heartbreaking moment their son Angelo asked, ‘Don’t you love my dad anymore?’

Speaking to American Vogue in her first interview in five years, Adele revealed she hopes her new album, in which she sings about her divorce, will help Angelo understand what happened when he’s older.

She explained: ‘He has so many simple questions for me that I can’t answer, because I don’t know the answer. Like, “Why can’t we still live together?”

”That’s just not what people do when they get divorced.”

”But why not?”

‘I’m like, “I don’t f***ing know.” That’s not what society does.’

‘And, “Why don’t you love my dad anymore?” and I’d be like, “I do love your dad. I’m just not in love.” I can’t make that make sense to a nine-year-old.’ 

Adele also admitted she struggled with talking to their son about her separation, causing her so much anxiety that her therapist suggested she record herself speaking to Angelo so she could remember what had been said.

She told British Vogue: ‘Obviously Simon and I never fought over him or anything like that. Angelo’s just like, “I don’t get it.”

‘I don’t really get it either. There are rules that are made up in society of what happens and doesn’t happen in marriage and after marriage, but I’m a very complex person.’

She added: ‘When I was 30, my entire life fell apart and I had no warning of it.’

Yet insisting there was no bad blood between the pair, she added: ‘It just wasn’t… It just wasn’t right for me any more. I didn’t want to end up like a lot of other people I knew. I wasn’t miserable miserable, but I would have been miserable had I not put myself first. But, yeah, nothing bad happened or anything like that.’

Despite their separation, Adele has no regrets, saying she chose the ‘perfect person’ to have a child with.

Elsewhere, she confirmed that she and her new boyfriend, sports agent Rich Paul, 39, are ‘very happy’ and has revealed that he’s ‘frazzled’ by her huge, global fame.

She also told American Vogue in a separate profile published Thursday, that Rich ‘just incredibly arrived’ days before her estranged father passed away from cancer aged 57 in May this year, after the pair fell out in 2011.

The cockney star introduced Rich – who represents LeBron James – to the interviewer, who noted how the singer beamed with, ‘Hi, darlin’!’ when he walked into the photoshoot.

‘Yes, we’re together,’ Adele confirmed in the interview, adding: ‘We’re very happy.’