Adele Opens Up About the Inspiration Behind One of Her Most Heartfelt Songs

Adele’s soulful ballad “Someone Like You” has become an anthem for the brokenhearted since its release on her smash second album 21 in 2011. The piano-driven track showcases Adele’s powerful vocals as she belts out lyrics reflecting on a lost love and the pain of learning he has moved on.

In a revealing interview, Adele opened up about the real-life inspiration behind one of her most emotional songs to date. She explained how “Someone Like You” was born out of the ashes of one of her most significant breakups years prior.

“I was struggling to accept the relationship was over for good. Then I learned through mutual friends that my ex had met someone else. Even though I knew it was inevitable, the news hit me like a ton of bricks,” she shared.

At only 21 but wise beyond her years, Adele channeled the grief over lost love into songwriting – her outlet for working through tumultuous feelings. She found herself pulled back into the intensity of the breakup during a studio session.

“I just started playing these chords, singing words straight from my heart. Images and memories of our time together flooded my mind. I let it all out in raw, honest lyrics looking back on the relationship,” said Adele.

As she sang, she realized she was capturing the very essence of the heartbreak she was still working to process. The song lyrics formed as if she were speaking directly to her ex, saying everything she wished she had expressed to him in the aftermath of their split.

“Even though he had moved on and I knew I had to also, a part of me still clung to what we had. I asked myself if I could truly be happy for him. The lyrics ‘I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited, but I couldn’t stay away’ came from those emotions,” Adele shared.

For Adele, writing the breakup ballad turned out to be a cathartic release of the anger, loss and regret she had internalized. It enabled her to gain closure. By the time she recorded the vocals in one raw, emotional take, she had gone through the fire and come out the other side.

“I was smiling by the end of ‘Someone Like You’ because I had gotten so much off my chest. I was finally open to healing,” said Adele.

The songstress had no idea she had written a song that would go on to have such an astronomical impact. An ode to lost love and moving on, “Someone Like You” would shoot to the top of charts in multiple countries upon its release.

To this day, it remains one of Adele’s most beloved songs for its universal theme resonating through her personal story. When she performs it live, the emotion is palpable both throughout the audience and emanating from Adele on stage.

“It’s incredible to see my fans connecting with the song, feeling their own heartbreak and disappointment but also moving through it. It will always hold a special place for me,” she said.

Adele credited being so open and vulnerable sharing her raw emotions in song for enabling countless listeners to cope with their own relationship losses. Having that platform to reach people experiencing similar feelings was a main driver behind the track.

While discussing the inspiration during her interview, Adele shed additional insight into the relationship that first sent her reeling into grief over lost love. She revealed regret over not being willing to fight for him and the relationship when things grew difficult and uncertainties arose.

“If I’m being honest, he was more committed than I was at the time. I ran away from those fears instead of talking things out because I didn’t truly appreciate what was right in front of me,” Adele confessed.

She went on to accept accountability for her part in why the relationship came crashing down. However, writing “Someone Like You” gave her a voice to say everything she wished she had expressed to him in the difficult moments.

“It was incredibly healing. Plus, so many people connected with the emotional process of the song – going from shock and denial to facing reality and hopefully coming out stronger in the end. There’s real power in that,” said Adele.

Over a decade later, “Someone Like You” has truly stood the test of time. It remains a bittersweet fan favorite, bringing audiences to tears or holding them captive in still silence whenever Adele performs it live.

For Adele, revisiting the song holds nostalgia as she reflects on the heartache that birthed this gut-wrenching ballad. It catapulted her into fame beyond just critical success.

“It was the most vulnerable I had ever been both in my songwriting and vocals up to that point. I had no idea it would substantially shape the trajectory of my career,” Adele shared.

Now when she performs “Someone Like You,” it represents the closing of a chapter. While emotional, it empowers and motivates her to keep putting herself out there.

“It inspired me to keep writing music from my heart and soul, being truthful even when it’s painful. Creating it was admitting truths to myself that helped me heal and grow. The public response showed me that when I share my real stories, it resonates,” said Adele.

The ballad’s origin story is a raw glimpse into a superstar’s breakup agony that produced one of pop music’s most beloved anthems. To this day, it remains the song audiences most connect to out of Adele’s entire decorated catalog.

For both the singer and her fans, “Someone Like You” represents overcoming adversity to find light after darkness. It’s about having the courage to pick up broken pieces of yourself when a cherished relationship ends unexpectedly.

Adele summed up the epic song’s continued significance and charm best – saying, “I think it gives people hope …that even when you’re at your lowest low, there’s always a way back up. Letting your emotions out, whatever they may be, is the only path forward.”