Last fall, Adele returned with 30. The formidable piece of work revealed the singer at her most vulnerable and human, sharing intimate recordings about regrets, panic, and familial love. Today, she's reminded us that it's nearly been a year since the release of her most personal album by dropping a video for the Eltonian ballad "I Drink Wine" that was directed by Joe Talbot (the guy who made The Last Black Man in San Francisco, not the IDLES guy).
Here, in a fairytale forest, Adele lives out one of my dreams: Floating down a lazy river in a couture gown with bottomless rosé at the snap of a finger. And even though it sounds perfect, there's a sense that this fantasy is too good to be true. "They say to play hard, you work hard / Find balance in the sacrifice / Yet I don't know anybody / Who's truly satisfied," she sings as she passes a charming fisherman who catches her eye. Later, he swims to her and is pushed away by the synchronized swimmers guarding Adele with libations in hand. By the end, Adele wants out of this adult version of the boozy It's a Small World ride, rejecting the delusion of ego. Heavy stuff.
Check out the video below.
