Since the beginning of her career, Adele has brought nothing but brilliant, heart-wrenching lyrics and powerful, passionate vocals. 

Walking down a long path of heartbreak with her massive divorce, loneliness and motherhood, “30” is Adele’s best album yet. Every song illuminates her confidence in her body and mind. It’s a better, new version of Adele that people may not be prepared for. Needless to say, this new album is bound to have very emotional lyrics, but that is Adele, of course. 

This album is not only about the collapse of her marriage but also the emotional transitions that come with turning thirty-years-old. Life is supposed to be more stable with children, a husband and a nice house, but Adele shoves these perfect expectations out of the way and proves that it’s okay to not have it all figured out by thirty. 

Furthermore, “30” is not about vilifying certain people but rather releasing chaotic emotions that Adele harbored throughout her marriage. The songs are actually a way of saying that everything that has happened is not all her ex-husband’s fault. Her maturity and response to this controversial topic make me love her even more. 

To say she is iconic is an understatement. Her vocal range and breathing control are unreal in “30,” which, combined with her harmonies, elevate her songs to a whole new level. Furthermore, when she performed her popular single “Easy On Me” live at “Adele’s One Night Only” mini-concert, she sounded identical to the recorded version, which is a hard thing to do. She made it sound like she didn’t even break a sweat while the audience was on the verge of passing out. 

Her opening song, “Strangers by Nature,” combines a jazzy Christmas tune vibe with the eerie tone of Lana Del Rey’s song “Once Upon A Dream” used in Maleficent. I was in awe as I listened to it on full blast in my headphones. Similarly, while listening to “Oh My God,” with the catchy beat and earth-shaking bass, I was bobbing my head up and down while also dragged into a different reality where I became the best version of myself, not worrying about what anyone else thought of me. The power Adele had in that song made me feel like I was unstoppable, too. 

While “Strangers by Nature,” “Easy on Me” and “Oh My God” are utter masterpieces that tell the story of Adele’s life, “To Be Loved” is powerful enough to emotionally destroy any music listener. Adele bares her emotions in this song, breaking down and confessing “Let it be known that I cried for you,” hinting at her past relationship. In addition, hearing her desperate cries for romantic love just make the experience ten times more sad. 

Through impactful lyrics and intense vocals, she delivers a breathtaking story of a woman navigating a terrible crisis.  However, she demonstrates that she made it through to the other side with no major injuries, as if she said “Hello” to her new beginning.