The True Meaning Behind Woman Like Me By Adele

Adele's "30" marks a major milestone in her life. The album taps into the breakdown of her marriage to Simon Konecki, with whom she shares son Angelo. Her divorce was finalized in early 2021, per Entertainment Tonight, although the couple separated several years before.

The album focuses on answering questions for her son about the decline of his parents' marriage and Adele spoke with Zane Lowe of Apple Music about how difficult it was to write the album. "It was like it really helped me, this album," she said. "It really, really did." Adele added that there's a perfect song somewhere for every mood and life event. The album was her song creation for this monumental and harrowing event. "I really do believe, and I'm not being arrogant or anything like that here, it's just like, it was my hell," she said. "But I really went to hell and back." One song in particular, "Woman Like Me," taps into this in a way that's unique compared to the rest of the album.

While much of Adele's "30" is directed toward her son, Angelo, her song "Woman Like Me" takes a different turn. Rather than speaking to a child, the song speaks directly to the former partner, in this case, Adele's ex-husband, Simon Konecki. But, as is the case with any resonating art, the listener can insert their own heartbreak into the song.

"Woman Like Me" seems to capture the moment right before the final rupture, with the speaker begging the other person to step up. "You're driving me away, give me a reason to stay / I want to be lost in you, but not in this way," Adele sings (via Genius). "Don't think you quite understand who you have on your hands / How can you not see just how good for you I am?"

The song takes a major power shift by the chorus, and Adele chastises the lover for not realizing how good he has it with her. "You ain't never had, ain't never had a woman like me / It is so sad a man likе you could be so lazy," she sings. She certainly isn't sugarcoating this breakup message!

Adele fills up "Woman Like Me" with incredible resiliency and a punch of vengeance. "I put my heart on the line for the very first time / Because you asked me to and now you've gone and changed your mind," she sings (via Genius).

But if anyone was wondering whether or not she regrets her love, they can wipe that idea away. What she's left with is the love itself, rather than the man. "But lovin' you was a breakthrough," she sings. "I saw what my heart can really do / Now some other man will get the love I had for you / 'Cause you don't care."

This same tough attitude came through in her cover story interview with British Vogue. Adele might be heartbroken, but she's not broken. "I think it's that people love to portray a divorced woman as spinning out of control, like, 'Oh she must be crackers,'" Adele said. "'She must've decided she wants to be a ho.' Because what is a woman without a husband?" Adele added, "It's bulls***." What a perfect response to a powerful song.