With the recent release of Adele’s long-awaited album “25”, I was the least bit surprised to hear a more mature, soulful voice from her compared to her prior album “21.”

In an openly penned letter to her fans, she writes, “My last record was a break-up record and if I had to label this one [“25”] I would call it a make-up record. I’m making up with myself. Making up for lost time.”

“25” perfectly captures Adele’s obvious need to close the chapter of her life that was previously documented in “21.”

The first release as well as the first song on “25,” “Hello,” Adele apologizes to her previous lover through her powerful vocals.

She belts out, “Hello from the other side, I must’ve called a thousand times, to tell you I’m sorry, for everything that I’ve done.”

Adele is simply a powerhouse.

Backed by different instruments or singing acapella, she makes even the most cold-hearted of people, who went through the toughest of heartbreaks, want to call their exes and apologize.

Adele’s fans should count their blessings, though.

Back in February of 2012, she pledged a five-year hiatus from music as she was just coming off surgery on a throat hemorrhage and wanted to focus on her relationship with her boyfriend. She shaved off two of those years for her eager fans.

It is quite evident that her time off did her well as her then-boyfriend has now become her fiancée and together they had a son in late 2012.

All of these life experiences radiate throughout “25.”

“When We Were Young” focuses on trying to capture the youth and innocence of a relationship and remembering all the good that comes from a first love.

Adele sings, “Let me photograph you in this light, in case it is the last time, that we might be exactly like we were, before we realized, we were sad of getting old.”

My favorite, however, is “Water Under The Bridge.”

Set to a surprisingly up-tempo, high-energy beat, the lyrics tell a different story, though: “If you’re gonna let me down, let me down gently, don’t pretend that you don’t want me, our love ain’t water under the bridge.”

So far, “25” has hit over four million in sales in the United States and became the United Kingdom’s fastest million-selling album in history, according to Billboard.

With numbers like that under the 27-year-old’s belt, I foresee Adele’s career and legacy everlasting.

Adele is truly something special.

I give “25” five out of five stars.

Rose Sacco can be reached at 581-2812 or rcsacco@eiu.edu.