When I listened to Adele perform songs from her new album in her One Night Only television special Nov. 14, I was spellbound. Her performance made me want to learn more about her and to listen to her entire album. I did not regret that decision.

Adele released the studio album “30” Nov. 19. She wrote it while going through a challenging divorce with Simon Konecki. Her raw and complex emotions are heavily present throughout the album. As I listened to it, my heart was broken and rebuilt, just as hers was.

“Easy on Me” was the first song I heard from the album. It was an instant hit, and has been in the top spot of the Official Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks.

“Easy on Me” perfectly expresses how exhausting it feels to constantly make sacrifices to accommodate others. In particular, women are often expected to put men’s needs first. The song reminded me that I should have empathy for others.

The song is also about the pressures of being famous. I interpret the chorus to be about the permanence of fame. Adele signed her first contract with a record label in 2006, mere months after her high school graduation. She quickly became well-known, so she had little time to enjoy her youth. It was brave of Adele to point out the pitfalls of stardom, because it tends to be overly romanticized.

5. "25" Adele

In the song “Strangers by Nature,” Adele realizes her partner is not the only reason for her divorce. She recognizes that her own insecurity negatively affected relationships in her life, especially her marriage. She must have a good relationship with herself before she can have a good relationship with others. It was wise of Adele to acknowledge her own flaws, unlike many other artists.

The image of “taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart” in “Strangers by Nature” poetically demonstrates how deeply heartbroken Adele felt. It was courageous for Adele to convey such personal stories about her mental health in her music. Knowing that Adele recovered from such a dark place makes me feel hopeful.

In addition to her sadness, Adele felt anger. “Love Is a Game,” the last song in the album, is about the wrath she felt. It’s also about the disappointment of losing the game of love. Her divorce felt like a failure, and caused her self-esteem to plummet. This song demonstrates the impressive range and dynamic contrast of Adele’s voice, which captured my interest.

I thought it was interesting to end the album on such an unsettling note. Although I wished for a more hopeful ending, “Love Is a Game” had a more realistic ending, because it takes a long time to recover from trauma. It makes me wonder if her next album will be more hopeful.

Most of the songs on this album were slow-paced, which makes sense, given that the album is meant to be serious. However, I wish there were more fast-paced songs in “30” because I enjoy the energetic songs in Adele’s previous albums.

Adele’s reflections on her divorce can be applied to life. In the end, Adele overcame her divorce, and today she is a powerful woman. She was able to grow from her sorrow, which inspires me to see difficulties as opportunities for growth. Overall, this album is a masterpiece.

“30”: ★★★★★