Grade: 4.5/5.0

Get ready to reach for the tissues and drink a warm beverage to soothe the soul while listening to Adele’s hauntingly beautiful new single “Easy on Me.” She may not be 25 anymore, but Adele still has the ability to move mountains with her voice. 

Adele’s new single “Easy on Me” from her upcoming album 30 epitomizes her mastery of musical talent. Listening to the single, it is easy to sail on her phenomenal vocal runs far away into a state of euphoria. Her first song in almost six years, Adele once again proves that she is an unstoppable force of power. “Easy on Me” excels lyrically and musically as a show of Adele opening up to listeners about her true self. 

Shifting dynamics from her previous album 25, Adele writes this song to bridge the relationship between herself and her son. While her earlier music focused on her own journey and identity formation, “Easy on Me” highlights outward communication. Adele’s upcoming album 30 is based on the year she divorced her husband and left her son. She uses this song as a chance to account for any unintentional harm that her decisions have caused her son and beg him to try to see her perspective. 

“Easy on Me” opens with a beautiful metaphor about Adele’s past marriage with Simon Konsinsecki. Imagining that relationship as a lackluster river, Adele pleads with her son to understand how lost and stuck she felt among a constant current marked by her decisions as a naive, young woman. The simple piano accompaniment forces listeners to focus on the meaning of the lyrics. 

True to Adele’s nature, “Easy on Me” relies on raw, powerful vocal talent. With heart-wrenching vocal runs that captivate listeners, the song excels. With minimal production grandeur, Adele presents her raw self to her son in an attempt to show the utter honesty behind her words. The breathy notes at the outset of the song further emphasize her vulnerability.

In the initial listen it may feel like the song drowns in a sea of despair. Yet, “Easy on Me” has a stronger emphasis on the remnant hope that a mother and son can bond again. Instead of demanding a specific outcome, Adele leaves a door open for her son to come through once he feels ready to talk and listen as he grows up. 

The sentiment of hope is present in the instrumentation as well. Once the second verse starts, a steady drum accompanies the piano, serving as the heartbeat that sustains the life of the lyrics. The rhythmic beats remind listeners that behind such strong emotion there is hope and permanence. All is not lost. 

Coupled with the feelings of hope, “Easy on Me” maintains a peaceful pace. An important aspect of this song is acceptance. Unapologetic for the decisions she has made upon turning 30, Adele maintains confidence in herself and her newfound identity. She just asks for her son to understand, to accept her for her past mistakes. 

The new single is a phenomenal display of pure musical talent in the most honest form. Even with her newfound self-identity, she stays true to her voice and lyrics, portraying a woman simply ready to communicate with the world. With “Easy on Me” being just a taste of what is to come in Adele’s new album, 30 proffers a lot of potential for Adele to soar to new successes.