Hello, Adele is back.

After the worst 6 years of our lives without her, she is finally back.

Released on October 15th, her new single ‘Easy on Me’ is a breathtaking ballad, clocking in at 3 minutes 45 seconds. It serves as an ode to her marriage and 9-year-old son Angelo, whom her forthcoming album 30 is dedicated.

Inspired by her recent split from ex-husband Simon Konecki, lyrics like “Go easy on me, baby / I was still a child / Didn’t get the chance to / Feel the world around me”, explore the moment the singer realized the self-identity she lost was due to her entrapping marriage. In an interview with US Vogue, Adele devastatingly shared what was happening behind closed doors as she started writing 3 years ago. “I was just going through the motions and I wasn’t happy,” she said. “Neither of us did anything wrong. Neither of us hurt each other or anything like that. It was just: I want my son to see me really love, and be loved. It’s really important to me.”

Through these hardships, she comes to an understanding with herself. Even while she puts everyone above her own needs, her marriage is irreparably broken and it’s time for a very necessary change. The second verse, “There ain’t no room for things to change / When we are both stuck so deeply in our ways / You can’t deny how hard I have tried / I changed who I was to put you both first / But now I give up.”

Alongside the divorce being finalized earlier this year, ‘Easy on Me’ reveals a chronological story: a delicate woman acknowledging that her marriage is the antagonist of her 20’s, finding the courage to break away from that marriage, and opening a new era of independence during the next stage of her life. Much like her last studio albums 25 and 21, her vocals constantly soar – long, soulful notes beautifully accentuate the heavy doses of heartache she’s belting about. And as to be expected, Adele has shattered all global records for day-one streams on Spotify, re-dominating the pop music market within just hours despite her long-lived hiatus.

On an Instagram live, someone asked what the new album is about and Adele put it simply in her heavy British accent: “Divorce babes. Divorce.” 30 is set for release in late November, dissecting the brutal truths of falling out of love with your partner and the process of prioritizing others’ happiness over your own.

Perhaps her most intimate and raw record to date, there’s a particular sense of maturity allocated with this album that differs from the rest. Themes of recognizing your own pitfalls and atoning for your wrongdoings without any self-righteousness takes courage to admit to the entire world, a path of self-acceptance and growth on the mend. “I feel like this album is self-destruction, then self-reflection and then sort of self-redemption,” she told Vogue. “But I feel ready. I really want people to hear my side of the story this time.”