While Adele made her musical debut with the critically acclaimed album 19, most people were introduced to her through the singles from her blockbuster sophomore album 21. Most of the songs on the album were honest and emotional reflections on her break up. The album ran the gamut of the singer’s emotions about the relationship, ranging from anger (“Rolling in the Deep,” “Rumor Has It”) to sadness (“Set Fire to the Rain,” “Turning Tables”) to regret (“Someone like You”). Adele’s follow-up album, 25, delt with many of the same themes and a palpable sadness could be felt through much of the record. With that in mind, the singer has shocked the world with the announcement that her new single about her divorce will be upbeat.

Adele performs during the Grammys

A change of pace

Adele poses with her Grammys

Adele’s music spans many genres, from soul to pop to folk and even disco (through her underrated hit “Water Under the Bridge”), but if Adele has a lyrical modus operandi, it’s a focus on the darker side of relationships. When fans recently learned that the singer was divorcing her husband of a few years, Simon Konecki, they reasonably expected her to release another sad or bitter song about the break-up.

We all know that Adele is a great artist, and if there’s one thing that unites all great artists, it’s a desire to innovate and challenge themselves. After all, if Adele didn’t do something every once in awhile that would surprise her fans, she might run the risk of getting boring. A source close to Adele has said that, rather than taking the obvious route and writing a bitter break-up song, the singer is planning on releasing an upbeat track reflecting on the relationship.

Personal insight

Adele in Los Angeles, California.

The source told The Sun: “The song is upbeat and is all about Adele’s relationship with her ex-husband Simon. But it’s optimistic, reflective of the good times and about learning to move on from them and make new memories by yourself. It has been cathartic for her to put her feelings into her music. Fans can expect to hear personal details on her album. All being well, the song should be out in November but she is still working on everything.”

Another source said that the singer found the experience of working on new music to be therapeutic after the rough year that she had because of her divorce. Adele has also said that, due to the emotional and physical exhaustion brought on by her divorce, she has decided that the next year of her life is going to be a time for her to pamper herself.

In an inspiring social media post, the singer said that the thirty-first year of her life “tried me so hard but I’m owning it and trying my hardest to lean in to it all…31 is going to be a big ol’ year and I’m going to spend it all on myself. For the first time in a decade I’m ready to feel the world around me and look up for once…Learning to REALLY truly love yourself is it, and I’ve only just realised that that is more than enough.”