My Little Love

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"My Little Love"
Song by Adele
from the album 30
Released19 November 2021
Genre
Length6:29
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Greg Kurstin
Lyric video
"My Little Love" on YouTube

"My Little Love" is a song by the English singer Adele from her fourth studio album, 30 (2021). Adele wrote it with its producer, Greg Kurstin. The song became available as the album's third track on 19 November 2021, when it was released by Columbia Records. "My Little Love" is a jazz, R&B, and soul song with a 1970s-style groove and influences of gospel music. The song incorporates voice notes of Adele's conversations with her son as she explains the effects of her divorce on his life and pleads for his understanding and forgiveness.

Critics generally praised "My Little Love", comparing it to the work of Marvin Gaye, among other artists. Reviews highlighted the emotionalism and vulnerability displayed in the song, but some found the inclusion of the voice notes excessive. The track reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden and entered the top 40 in several other countries.

Background[edit]

Adele in a black sweatshirt, smiling
Adele in 2021

Adele began working on her fourth studio album by 2018.[1] She filed for divorce from her husband, Simon Konecki, in September 2019,[2] which inspired the album. After experiencing anxiety, Adele undertook therapy sessions and mended her estranged relationship with her father.[3] The divorce's effect on her seven-year-old son plagued Adele during the following years. She decided to have regular conversations with him, which she recorded following advice from her therapist.[3][4] These inspired Adele's return to the studio and the album took shape as a body of work that would explain to her son why she left his father.[3]

Adele wrote "My Little Love" with Greg Kurstin, who had produced three songs for her third studio album, 25 (2015) – "Hello", "Million Years Ago", and "Water Under the Bridge".[5][6] During one of Adele's conversations with her son, he said: "I can't see you". She conceived "My Little Love" in a studio the following day and decided to incorporate voice notes of the conversation in the song, inspired by Tyler, the Creator and Skepta. Adele believed it "might be a nice touch" and give fans a window into her personal life.[3][a] She recalled that creating the song cleared up some of the emotional chaos that was obstructing her ability to express her feelings.[10] Listening to it would calm Adele's anxiety about whether she answered her son's questions appropriately.[11]

Though Adele considered that her son might dislike "My Little Love" in the future, she thought it was an important song and decided to put it on the album: "He'll probably go through stages of hating it when he's a teenager… But it was an important part of the puzzle I was trying to figure out of my life—not the album—so I had to include it."[12] She released "Easy on Me" as the lead single from the album, entitled 30, on 14 October 2021.[13] Adele announced the tracklist on 1 November 2021, which included "My Little Love" as the third track.[14] The song became available for digital download on 30, which was released on 19 November.[15]

Composition[edit]

"My Little Love" is 6 minutes and 29 seconds long.[15] Kurstin produced the song and engineered it with Julian Burg at No Expectations Studios in Los Angeles. Kurstin played bass, mellotron, piano, and steel guitar, and Chris Dave played drums and percussion. David Campbell arranged and conducted the strings, which were recorded at the EastWood Scoring Stage in Burbank, California. Tom Elmhirst mixed the song at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Randy Merrill mastered it at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.[5]

"My Little Love"
"My Little Love" incorporates voice notes of Adele's conversations with her son over an arpeggiated piano chord progression. Several critics likened the song to the work of Marvin Gaye.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"My Little Love" is a jazz,[16][17] R&B,[16][18] and soul[19] song which incorporates voice notes of Adele's conversations with her son.[20] It is influenced by gospel music and 1970s soul.[21][22] The song employs an arpeggiated late-night bar piano chord progression and a lightly oscillating funk bassline.[18][23] According to Variety's Chris Willman, it has a groove that begins with a restrained electric piano and concludes in "swirls of orchestration".[24] Adele delivers vocals in a low register, which Annabel Nugent of The Independent considered analogous to "smoke pluming from a lit cigarette perched on an ashtray".[25] Several critics likened "My Little Love" to the work of Marvin Gaye;[b] Vogue's Abby Aguirre highlighted its elements—"sexy '70s groove, heavy strings, heavier lyrics",[3] and NPR's Nate Chinen believed the similarity was in "the stylistic legacy of the song—down to the gently tripping melisma that concludes each line in the verse".[26] AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung believed the "smoky R&B production" recalls "early-2000s Alicia Keys", and Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times described it as "a lush soul jam with echoes of classic Isaac Hayes".[28][19]

The lyrics of "My Little Love" are written from the perspective of a mother pleading for understanding and forgiveness from her child.[29] Adele discusses her divorce and admits her guilt about the way it has changed her son's life,[30] addressing herself as "mama"[31] and him as "my little love".[32] The voice notes from her son include him asking several questions.[29] During the first bridge, Adele asks him to say he loves her, to which he replies: "I love you a million percent". This alternates in the second bridge, when he confesses that he "feel[s] like you don't love me" and Adele replies that she loves him more than anyone else.[16][33] At 1:54, she tells him that she has "been having a lot of big feelings recently"; she elaborates that she feels confused and lost after he implores her to explain what she means. She assures him that she still loves his father because he would not exist without the latter.[32][34] The song concludes with a voicemail Adele recorded for a friend, in which she confesses to having a hangover and experiencing anxiety, paranoia, and loneliness: "I feel like today is the first day since I left him that I feel lonely. And I never feel lonely [...] I feel a bit frightened that I might feel like this a lot."[16][35]

Critical reception[edit]

Critics praised "My Little Love" as raw, honest, and touching.[c] The A.V. Club's Gabrielle Sanchez observed a "push and pull [...] of a mother needing her son for support while feeling guilty about wearing these emotions on her sleeve for him to see",[31] and PopMatters's Peter Piatkowski thought "the discomfort grows as the emotional baggage depicted in the lyrics threaten to collapse whatever dam is holding Adele in".[22]

Some reviewers felt the inclusion of the voice notes on "My Little Love" was excessive.[d] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph wondered "whether we really needed to hear home recordings of Adele laying all her woes on her own child or blubbering into her phone during bouts of insecurity";[27] Consequence's Ilana Kaplan found them unnecessary but indicative of Adele's state of mind.[21] Reviewers also commented on Adele's expression of loneliness and vulnerability in the closing voicemail.[e] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian described it as "bold no-holds barred wound-showing" akin to John Lennon's song "Mother" (1970).[39] Pitchfork's Jill Mapes believed it was "Adele's version of rock bottom",[38] and DIY's Emma Swann called it a "gut-wrenching climax".[40]

Critics considered "My Little Love" one of the most emotional songs on 30[f] and thought it displayed more vulnerability than Adele's previous work.[g] Writing for Slant Magazine, Eric Mason found Adele's affirmation of her love for her son brought forth a more honest sense of sadness than her previous heartbreak-themed songs.[44] Exclaim!'s Kyle Mullin said the song exemplified her thematic evolution in her releases of the preceding decade.[43]

David Cobbald of The Line of Best Fit thought "My Little Love" was the album's best showcase of Adele's creativity and skill.[45] Ranking the song 11th among the album tracks, Jason Lipshutz of Billboard stated that "Adele has never been bolder in her song construction".[46] Rolling Stone placed it at number 24 in a 2021 ranking of Adele's discography.[23]

Commercial performance[edit]

In the United Kingdom, "My Little Love" debuted at number five on the Official Audio Streaming Chart.[47][h] The song charted at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[49] It peaked at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100.[50] In Australia, "My Little Love" reached number 11.[51] The song charted at number 10 in New Zealand.[52] On the Billboard Global 200, it peaked at number 12.[53] "My Little Love" reached several national record charts: at number 5 in Iceland,[54] number 14 in the Netherlands,[55] number 16 in Sweden,[56] number 33 in Portugal,[57] number 35 in Norway,[58] number 37 in Denmark,[59] and number 66 in France.[60] The song received a gold certification in Brazil.[61]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of 30.[5]

Charts[edit]

Chart positions for "My Little Love"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[51] 11
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[50] 14
Denmark (Tracklisten)[59] 37
France (SNEP)[60] 66
Global 200 (Billboard)[53] 12
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[54] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[55] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[52] 10
Norway (VG-lista)[58] 35
Portugal (AFP)[57] 33
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[56] 16
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[47] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[49] 23

Certifications[edit]

Certification for "My Little Love"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[61] Gold 20,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Adele had previously kept her son away from the limelight.[7] She sued the photo agency Corbis Images UK, after they published paparazzi photos of him taken in 2013, and won.[8][9]
  2. ^ Cited to Vogue,[3] NPR,[26] The Daily Telegraph,[27] and The New York Times[20]
  3. ^ Cited to The A.V. Club,[31] Clash,[36] PopMatters,[22] and Marie Claire[37]
  4. ^ Cited to the Los Angeles Times[19] and The Daily Telegraph[27]
  5. ^ Cited to Pitchfork,[38] The Guardian,[39] and AllMusic[28]
  6. ^ Cited to Yahoo! Entertainment,[16] Harper's Bazaar,[10] and The New York Times[41]
  7. ^ Cited to Harper's Bazaar,[42] Exclaim!,[43] Entertainment Weekly,[32] and Slant Magazine[44]
  8. ^ The Official Audio Streaming Chart is not the official singles chart. It ranks songs based on their popularity on streaming services.[48]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Braidwood, Ella (25 June 2018). "Everything We Know So Far About Adele's New Album". NME. Archived from the original on 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Adele Files for Divorce From Husband Simon Konecki". BBC News. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Aguirre, Abby (7 October 2021). "Adele on the Other Side". Vogue. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  4. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (19 November 2021). "Adele Voicenotes Reveal Emotional Discussions of Divorce with Her Son, Angelo". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Columbia Records (2021). 30 (Media notes). Adele.
  6. ^ XL Recordings and Columbia Records (2015). 25 (Media notes). Adele.
  7. ^ Olivier, Bobby (19 November 2021). "Adele Wonders What's Next on Powerful 30". Spin. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Singer Adele Wins Damages Over Paparazzi Photos of Son". BBC News. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
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  29. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (24 November 2021). "Adele's 'My Little Love' & Six Other Songs From Famous Moms About Their Kids". Billboard. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  30. ^ Stump, Scott (19 November 2021). "Adele Explains Divorce to Son Angelo, 9, on 'My Little Love' From 30". Today. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  31. ^ a b c Sanchez, Gabrielle (23 November 2021). "Adele Reaches New Heights on 30, Her Best Album to Date". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  32. ^ a b c Nolfi, Joey (19 November 2021). "Hear Adele's Moving Conversation with Her Son About Divorce in Powerful 30 Song 'My Little Love'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  33. ^ Rice, Nicholas (19 November 2021). "Adele Tries to Explain Her Divorce to Son, 9, in Voice Notes on Emotional Song from New Album 30". People. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  34. ^ Potton, Ed (17 November 2021). "Adele, Angelo and 'My Little Love': When Singers Put Their Children on Record". The Times. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  35. ^ Gonzales, Erica (19 November 2021). "Adele's Song 'My Little Love' Includes Conversations with Her Son About Her Divorce". Elle. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  36. ^ Murray, Robin (17 November 2021). "Adele – 30". Clash. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  37. ^ Goldsztain, Iris (24 November 2021). "Adele Says Her Son Will Probably Hate Her Song About Him When He's Older". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  38. ^ a b Mapes, Jill (22 November 2021). "Adele: 30 Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  39. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (17 November 2021). "Adele: 30 Review – The Defining Voice of Heartbreak Returns". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  40. ^ Swann, Emma. "Adele - 30". DIY. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  41. ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (19 November 2022). "Adele Returns to the Stage in Las Vegas, Resolute and Reflective". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  42. ^ Sanchez, Chelsey (19 November 2021). "Adele Explains Divorce to Her 9-Year-Old Son on 'My Little Love'". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  43. ^ a b Mullin, Kyle (22 November 2021). "Adele Pushes Her Songcraft to Even Grander Heights on 30". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  44. ^ a b Mason, Eric (19 November 2021). "Review: With 30, Adele Expands Her Brand of Pop-Soul Into Ever More Expressive Terrain". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  45. ^ Cobbald, David (17 November 2021). "Adele's 30 Takes a Bold Leap Into the Unknown". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  46. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (19 November 2021). "Every Song Ranked on Adele's 30: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  47. ^ a b "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  48. ^ Plunkett, John (10 May 2012). "Spotify and Other Streaming Services Get Own Chart". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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  50. ^ a b "Adele Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  51. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  52. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  53. ^ a b "Adele Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  54. ^ a b "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  55. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  56. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  57. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  58. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". VG-lista. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  59. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love". Tracklisten. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  60. ^ a b "Adele – My Little Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  61. ^ a b "Brazilian single certifications – Adele – My Little Love" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
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