Adele is back everyone, and she's saying hello with her new single: “Hello.” Fans everywhere are freaking out, as this new song echoes her outrageously successful melancholic lyrics and voice. Adele's music is known to exhibit an emotional response from anyone and everyone who listens. Adele snagged herself a Grammy for “Someone Like You” in 2012, along with five other Grammys including the awards for Album, Song and Record of the Year. “Someone Like You” got a lot of attention from the public as it became the break-up anthem of the year, even being spoofed by SNL, and to this day, remains a major tearjerker. But, there's a reason behind our tears and it’s called an Appoggiatura.
Appoggiatura comes from the Italian “to lean”. It was discovered by English Physiologist John Sloboda 20 years ago when he examined music lovers response to emotional music. He found that when a note clashes with the melody, it elicits an emotional response from the listener. As you can guess “Someone Like You” and most of Adele's music is adorned with these Appoggiaturas. But, what “Someone Like You” has over other Adele hits is the massive Appoggiatura in her chorus. Have a listen below and see how she clearly dips her voice on the word “You." This is what sends us into our tail-spin of emotion.
The hit was written by Adele and Dan Wilson, and they seem to have concocted the perfect equation for an emotional song. Not only does “Someone Like You” contain Appoggiaturas, but the song also builds with soft melancholic lyrics, leading up to the an explosive octave jump in the chorus. "All Things Considered" host Melissa Block decided to examine how the duo created this emotional hit by asking co-writer Dan Wilson himself. When asked if he consciously used tactics to create the tear-jerking hit he responded by saying “Hey, if I had a scientific method for making a heartbreaking hit, I would do it every day, but it's not so easy.” So, all these emotional tactics are a coincidence? You can choose to believe that or not.
For all those emotional Adele lovers out there, here is a little hope: Adele is back and has already released her first single "Hello." Adele is calling this next album her make-up record. ”My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one I would call it a make-up record. I'm making up with myself. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did.” Somehow, I still think this "make-up album" will still bring us to tears. But for now we can just say, hello Adele, we missed you!
