These days, it’s common for artists to tease a new song on Instagram before an album drops, or tweet a vague, mysterious photo clue to send fans into a frenzy about what it could all mean.
They should all take a lesson from Adele.
The British singer, who hasn’t released an album in four years, managed to cause quite a stir online Sunday when a haunting, piano-driven, 30-second clip of a song aired during the UK version of “The X Factor.”
It sounded like Adele. It seemed like Adele. Of course, there was no actual confirmation that it was Adele - or what it meant - but that did not stop Twitter from going into overdrive. “The X Factor” and the singer were both trending worldwide.
Anyway, using logic to figure that this is a hint for Adele’s highly anticipated album, she’s playing the long game extremely shrewdly. In the years since her last album, the mega-hit “21,” she’s kept a mostly low profile (save for an Oscars appearance to sing award-winning James Bond theme”Skyfall”).
Even on the heels of massive success, she took a hiatus and is simply letting excitement build by giving away zero details about her next project. Given how many people are eager for details, that takes a lot of discipline.
There have been rumors and reports about collaborators (including OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder), but her label won’t confirm anything. Not that anyone really needs to - anticipation is at a fever pitch anyway, and this latest stunt should only increase the buzz.
This summer, “21” officially hit diamond status in the U.S. with 10 million album sales since its release in 2011; with 30 million sales worldwide, it’s one of the best-selling albums in history. So it’s the smart move not to rush any decisions on this one.
According to Billboard, the latest report is that this record - her third studio album - might finally hit shelves in November. And honestly, if Adele can win a Golden Globe and an Oscar for co-writing and singing the James Bond theme song, imagine what accolades this upcoming album will bring.
