ADÉLA may be the biggest breakout story of 2026. The 22-year-old from Bratislava released her debut album PRIMA in September, and it entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4. She also has two singles charting:“Ain’t in LA”reached No. 27 on the Hot 100, while“Nicole Kidman”climbed to No. 11 in the same week. According to Luminate, she’s passed half a billion global on-demand streams this year.
Her path wasn’t a straight line. In 2023 she competed on HYBE x Geffen’s Dream Academy, the show that ultimately formed KATSEYE, and didn’t make the final group. She pivoted to solo singles in 2024, signed with Capitol Records, opened for Demi Lovato, and built toward PRIMA. The album’s lead single carries its own irony:“Ain’t in LA”is a song about being tired of celebrity culture, and she recorded it in Los Angeles. She told Billboard she was“kind of fatigued with celebrity culture,”then added,“Then I have a song called‘Nicole Kidman.'”
With childhood influences like Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, and Britney Spears shaping her pop instincts, ADÉLA is proof that a setback on a competition show can be the start of something bigger. Which track off PRIMA is on your repeat list?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.